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So made some perch chowder tonight. Tweaked TD's recipe a little bit--didn't use canned soups, I made my own cream of potato using as a base the water in which I poached the perch so I could de-bone them. Also added some clams and clam juice, and cream instead of butter.
Had massive amounts of perch from our trip to Starvy, so I about quadrupled the recipe. Used 4 lbs of bacon, bunches of red potatoes, etc etc.
Results: My youngest--who doesn't like fish--came back for thirds. My darlin' spouse--who doesn't like fish, and who has a nasty cold and didn't even feel like eating--came back for seconds. My oldest who loves fish had a lot, I lost track. I had two full bowls, if I ever do seconds on soup it's maybe half a bowl the second time. My dad, who is a backwoods Mainer, raved about it. It's funny because Mainers are masters of understatement...50 degrees below zero is "a bit chilly." Usually I can take it as a very nice compliment if I get "it wasn't half bad." Dad said...it was "marvelous" and the best chowder he'd ever eaten.
So I'd say it was a smashing success.
Sent some home with some neighbors and the jury's still out, I haven't heard their report yet. [  ]
So thanks to TD and all of those who gave me suggestions on cleaning these li'l perch from Starvy, and how to deal with cleaning and de-boning the dinks!
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[cool][#0000ff]Glad it worked out well for ya. I make "no bones" about the flexibility of the recipe. Once you have a good basic soup you can do whatever you want with it and it usually comes out great. Not one of those "exact measurement...or disaster" recipes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]How about PMing me a bowl to try? Make sure it's cool first. Don't want it overheating my computer. I can heat it up in my microwave.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Now go get some more fixins and do it some more.[/#0000ff]
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Sounds awesome! So where the scratch-n-sniff button?
I've enjoyed adding shrimp, scallops, even crawdad tails along with the perch. Get funky and add some squid or octopus if folks aren't 'fraid of tentacles! [shocked]
Per TD's directions the seafood bits get added at the very end, but I guess if you're poaching and boning them, that's a bit different.
Would be interested if you have a recipe or approach you could share on making that tater soup! I've done the boneless fillets on perch, that use the heads/skeletons (minus the guts) to make fish-stock, then used that as a base for the soup. (rolly-polly fish heads)
Next ya warm some up, put it in a thermos and take it with you ice fishing - motivation for the NEXT round of catching! Glad those Starvy perch are being kind to ya. Wish I could say that about my targets! Maybe this weekend I'll track some down!
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4lbs of bacon...well there goes my diet!
Glad the stuff turned out right..those perch sure are tasty. Try the same recipie with white bass. I loved that white bass chowder so much that chowder is the only way I will eat those things now. With the no limit on white bass you might have to use 8lbs of bacon[  ].
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YEEEE-HA!
I've ruined a fish or two before, but, when it's good, fish and game are the best there is!
TyeDye, before you commit yourself too fully, you should try my straight deepfried WB, in this astounding batter mix I buy at the Great China market on 90th S. I've never had better in a restaurant. It's what I "invented" the Sriracha/ranch dipping sauce for. Unreal!
The chowders do make me wish I could eat with an ice cream scoop, though..
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Ooh Yote that sounds awesome! I can imagine how delicious this would be with crawdad tails and other bits of seafood! I'm going to have to try that [ ]
No real recipe for the potato soup. Just added onion and garlic pieces to the water, poached the perch a few at a time to be able to get the meat off the bones, fish out, potato pieces in, added milk, added cream.
Then as I sauteed the various ingredients in TD's recipe (in the bacon fat) I chucked them in too--onion, celery, mushrooms, the bacon pieces themselves. Added more milk and cream.
In the end I used a bit of cornstarch and milk to thicken the chowder, too, I like the flavor of that thickening method better than the flour method.
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White bass, eh? Do they hold together like the perch chunks? I've never eaten white bass. They sound yummy though. [ ]
It was a maaaaaaaaasssive pot of chowder so 4 pounds of bacon wasn't really overboard. But TD's chowder would kill any diet, lol.
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Hm sounds like I may have to get myself some white bass [cool]
My oldest loves that sriracha sauce. Will have to try your dipping sauce.
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It was awesome, TD. Wish I could have sent some to you via PM. Where's Star Trek technology when we need it? (Beam me up, Scotty!)
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[quote LurkinLizard]It was awesome, TD. Wish I could have sent some to you via PM. Where's Star Trek technology when we need it? (Beam me up, Scotty!)[/quote]
WonkaVision. That's what you need. So when it comes through on the other side it LOOKS like it's only 1lb of bacon (buy still packs all the fat-n-calories, not to mention cholesterol)
Yeah - the WHOLE stick of butter helps it all slide down too! Long as you don't end up turning Blue with desert, though you might feel like your bloated and inflating around the middle! (Ice cream scoop - I like that!)
Guess I was wondering if you creamed up them taters, or just stewed the chunks. Sounds like the latter.
Never having tried White Bass -do they taste much different from other flavors of bass? I tried LM, SM, and Wiper, but not the whities. Just can't CAST that far!
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Yup, simmered the taters in the fish broth. TD's recipe calls for frying 'em in the bacon grease but I'd already tossed 'em in the fish broth before I'd gotten that far. [ ]
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