Two for the Price of One

 I got a lovely haddock filet at a local fish market, although I wouldn't recommend it as everything is frozen not fresh.  Well back to dinner ~ I knew that there was more fish than we would eat at one meal so I decided to make a luscious seafood chowder based on a clam chowder I've been making for years.  So let us start the night with the actual dinner.

Haddock with tomato, garlic and spinach

This recipe comes together very quickly so make sure you have everything chopped and prepped before hand.

For two people I used 

• 2 haddock filets
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 10 Kalamata olives, chopped
• one bunch spinach
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Yes there are 4 cloves of garlic for the entire recipe...stand down wind if you are going out after dinner.  LOL  Next you will prep two saute pans.

This is the pan for the spinach, it could have been a little smaller but it worked.  One turn of the pan with olive oil and 1/2 Tbsp butter.

This was for the haddock, when am I going to learn that fish needs a non-stick pan?!?!  No matter how I heat the pan to sear the fish it almost always sticks...argh!  But I will say that once I deglazed the pan the bits of stuck fish ended up in the sauce.  It's trial and error sometimes!

I started both pans at the same time, when the pan with the butter melted I added 2 cloves of garlic and then added the fish to the second pan.  I then went back to the first pan, tossed in the spinach and lowered the heat to a simmer.  I kept an eye on the fish waiting for it to release from the pan, when it was sufficiently seared...NEVER happened..ha!
Anyway, spinach slowly wilted, squeezed in the juice of half of a lemon.  The fish got turned and then put on a plate and covered with foil.  I put the other 2 cloves of garlic in the pan that had the fish, added the tomatoes and stirred, pulling up the yummy bits on the bottom of the pan,, followed by the juice of half of a lemon.  I then put the sauce on hubby's fish, he doesn't like olives...big surprise huh??  I returned the pan to the heat and added the olives for me.  The outcome was lovely!

Part two! 

I had some leftover haddock so I search Food Network for idea on what to do with the fish.  When I saw seafood chowder I knew exactly what to do!  I've been making clam chowder for years, no not the thick stuff that you can stand a spoon up in but a lighter version that has very little if any flour, the thickening comes from the potatoes.

Okay my original recipe calls for slab bacon but I wanted to experiment and used smoked jowl.  I must say that in certain applications this will be a go to, fatty but with a nice amount of meat.  I loved how it cooked up compared to slab bacon and the flavor is WOW!  Now while the jowls slowly render their fat and brown up, take advantage of the time have a sip of wine and cut up the rest of the veg and aromatics.

I was very happy that my thyme winters over most years, as does my rosemary (most years, not so this year - replacement plant this spring!).  I sent the hubs out in the dark to get a few sprigs of thyme.  He is such a trooper for this crazy cook!

Well once the jowl browned up I added the onion and let it sweat until tender.  I did at this point add about 1/4 cup of flour as the jowl had rendered an amazing amount of fat.  Stirred that in and cooked for a minute and then added clam juice and some vegetable stock(about 2 - 2 1/2 cups).  Once incorporated I added the potatoes(two Yukon golds chopped), thyme(two tablespoons chopped - I love the flavor of thyme in chowder), salt and pepper. Let this simmer until the potatoes are tender but not soft/mooshy.  Add a firm white fish(my haddock) cut in 3/4" pieces and the seafood medley.

I had one mussel that was cracked when I put the mix in the pot so out it went!  Never, ever trust shell fish that is cracked, wont close before cooked or wont open after being cooked!  If in doubt, throw it out!  TRUST ME!

At the very end I added about 2 cups of half and half, I've used light cream and heavy cream too, it is TOTALLY your call, you decide on the richness and caloric intake!

The finished product to be enjoyed over the next few days!  And yes I freeze the clam chowder so I will freeze some of this also!

 I know I have been long winded and probably shared more than you wanted to see but it happened so I didn't want anyone to miss something they would love!  Happy Friday and EAT WELL!!