New England Cod Chowder

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 3 medium carrots, each cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into slices
• 3 celery ribs, diced (or 1 large fennel bulb, diced)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into1/2-inch cubes (1 pound)
• 3 (8 ounce) bottles clam juice
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth (or 1 3/4 cups homemade chicken broth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (1 lb) cod fish fillet, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup half-and-half or 1 cup light cream

Recipe

• 1 in a 5-quart dutch oven or saucepot, cook bacon over medium heat until browned. remove bacon to paper towels to drain; crumble.
• 2 discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat in dutch oven. add carrots, celery (or fennel), and onion, and cook until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. add potatoes, clam juice, chicken broth, and bay leaf; heat to boiling. reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• 3 add cod; cook, covered, 2 to 5 minutes until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. carefully stir in half-and-half; heat through. discard bay leaf. serve soup with crumbled bacon.