You Asked for it, You Got It ! Crappie Chowder Recipe

[Kaptain Kaliko]

1 lb. of raw crappie fillets
2 tbsps. all-purpose flour
1/2 vidalia onion -- minced
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 strips raw bacon - cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup frozen sweet corn
2 carrots -- sliced
2 stalks celery -- sliced
2 large white potatoes - peeled and diced
1 tbsp butter (not margerine !)
1 bottle clam juice (or 1 cup fish stock)
several dashes Old bay seasoning (to taste)
white pepper (to taste)
sea salt (to taste)
2 cups water
1/2 cup of half-n-half

Saute' bacon, vidalia onions, and celery on medium heat, until onions are transparent and bacon is almost crisp (about 4 or 5 minutes).
Be careful not to overcook this mixture -- if you do, just start over.

Add butter and stir until just melted.

Stir in flour and whisk with a wire whisk (works best) or use a wooden spoon or spatula. (This is your vegetable roux.)

Whisk in 1 & 1/2 cups of water, slowly, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until smooth.

Add clam juice or fish stock -- stir constantly, and blend until smooth.

Add carrots, potatoes, green onions, and corn -- cook for five minutes on
simmer --- vegetables should be barely cooked.

Add half-n-half, whisking it in slowly. DO NOT BOIL !
****(You'll ruin the chowder if you boil it.)*****

Add sea salt, white pepper and Old Bay, (to taste) and blend well.

Cut up raw fish into one inch pieces, and add to simmering pot --- be sure to simmer on LOW HEAT !
Cook fish for just a few minutes -- it will cook very quickly !
Take a piece of fish out, and check it for doneness, if you need to.

The chowder will be of a thick consistency at this point --- add the remaining 1 & 1/2 cups of water, slowly, until the consistency is the way you like it.
Some folks like their chowder real thick ! (Personally, I do not.)
This is what the extra water is for. You don't want the chowder to be too concentrated.

Let the chowder sit for a half hour before serving -- it will continue to thicken, if you've followed the recipe. You may need to thin it down a bit.

You can also add other fish to this recipe -- shrimp, scallops, crab meat,
or a can of chopped clams.

I usually add a can of Gorton's chopped clams, and a 1/2 lb. of raw shrimp.
(This is a killer version !)

* Please remember : never boil the chowder while preparing or reheating !

Serve up chowder with oyster crackers, chopped parsley, and tabasco !

Enjoy !

Kaptain K.

[pescatore]

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[izzysfishin]

I'll give it a go Kaptain, thanks...izzy

[Kaptain Kaliko]

Pescatore,

This batch will serve 4 to 6 people -- with possible leftovers,
but don't count on it !

[pescatore]

deleted