Finnan Haddie Chowder Recipes

SIMPLE, BAKED FINNAN HADDIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place smoked haddock into a glass baking dish. Whisk flour into the melted butter until smooth, then whisk in milk, and pour over the haddock.
• Bake in preheated oven until the sauce has thickened, and the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 35 minutes.

LOBSTER AND FINNAN HADDIE CHOWDER WITH VERMONT COMMON CRACKERS

Steps:

• Place the smoked haddock in a pan a little large than the fish itself. Sprinkle with peppercorns, thyme, parsley, the small onion, and celery leaves. Pour in the stock. Add 1 cup heavy cream and milk. Cover pan with aluminum foil and place pan in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes or until the fish is barely heated through, turning opaque. Remove from oven. Let cool.
• Flake the fish into big pieces, making sure there are no bones or whole peppercorns lurking in crevices.
• Blanch 6 (1 pound) culls in boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes. Refresh in cold water to stop cooking. Take meat from the shells leaving big chunks.
• In a 3-quart stainless saucepan, place 4 of the lobster bodies over medium heat with 2 tablespoons butter. Saute until barely colored, then add 2 cups heavy cream and simmer slowly until reduced by 1/3. Use any of the smoked haddock scraps, bones, etc., when reducing the cream. This will give additional flavor to the soup. The lobster cream should have a lobster-smoked haddock flavor.
• Add the stock cream from poaching the smoked haddock. Strain, you should have approximately 3 to 3 1/2 cups soup base.
• To finish soup, saute 1 medium size onion in 4 tablespoons of butter. Add 4 red bliss potatoes cut into chunks leaving skins on. Pour over the soup base and simmer until the potatoes are "just done", not overcooked and mushy. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• In saute pan over medium heat, saute lobster meat, in big chunks in 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter. Add to the soup with the finnan haddie, taste for any additional salt and pepper. Adjust the amount of liquid by adding milk or cream. Bring just to a boil, heating the fish and lobster through. Ladle into hot soup bowls. Place a little slice of whole butter to melt on top and plenty of finely chopped parsley for garnish.
• Serve with toasted and buttered split Vermont common Crackers. If you can not find the crackers use Old Fashioned Cream Biscuits or hot bread.

CREAMED FINNAN HADDIE (SMOKED HADDOCK)

Steps:

• Cut the onions in half, slice thinly, then cut the slices in thirds.
• Place the smoked fish,(cut in half if you need to make it fit into the skillet)onions and bay leaf into a large skillet and cover with water.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.
• Remove from pan, drain all liquid, remove any skin or bones, discard bay leaf and flake the fish with a fork.
• In the same skillet, melt butter, whisk in flour and cook over medium-low heat, stirring until the flour is foaming but not browned - about 1 or 2 minutes.
• Over low heat, gradually add in 1 ½ cups of milk, bringing to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.
• Season with salt, pepper and optional nutmeg, and leave to simmer slowly for an additional 1-2 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly.
• Add the flaked fish and onions into the sauce, stirring to combine and warm throughout.
• Serve with boiled potatoes.

FINNAN HADDIE CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat the butter and oil, add the onion, and sauté over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the thyme and wine and boil for a minute or so before pouring in the stock and stirring. Add the milk and bring to nearly boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the corn, finnan haddie, and a grinding of pepper and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until the haddock is just cooked, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding a little salt if needed.