Julia Child's Favorite Fish Chowder

Ingredients

• 4 ounces salt pork, diced small
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 2 large onions, sliced thin (about 3 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup crumbled “common” crackers or oyster crackers
• 4 cups liquid (we prefer fish stock or a mixture of 2 cups clam juice and 2 cups water)
• 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into thin half-moons
• 2 cups milk or light cream
• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless lean fish, such as cod, hake, haddock, halibut, or pollock, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Garnish: Minced fresh parsley, oyster crackers

Steps

1. In a Dutch oven, heat about 1 quart of water to boiling; add the salt pork and simmer 5 minutes. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Press dry with paper towels. Combine salt pork and butter back in the Dutch oven over low heat and sauté until the pork has rendered its fat and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onions and bay leaf. Cover and cook until the onions are tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cracker crumbs and stir to blend.

2. Add the liquid and the potatoes to the onion mixture. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, loosely covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Add the milk or cream and the chunks of fish. Cover and cook over low heat just until the fish turns from translucent to opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.