Bermuda Fish Chowder

                     (Total Preparation Time – 3 hours, active time 45 minutes. Serves 4 as a main meal or 8 as a starter)

Ingredients:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
5 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1/3 cup of chopped parsley
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
1 28 oz. can of tomatoes, drained – tomatoes chopped, juice reserved
2 qts. Seafood Stock
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. Hot Hungarian Paprika
8 tbsp. molasses
1 ½ cups of reserved tomato juice
1.5 lbs. of firm white fish, such as snapper, or bass, cut into 1 inch cubes
Gosling’s Bermuda Black Rum
Outerbridge’s Sherry Peppers Sauce

Outerbridge’s Sherry Peppers Sauce & A Seriously Depleted Bottle of Rum

Preparation:

1.    To a 5qt. pot, add the olive oil and garlic.
2.    Heat on medium-low  for 3-4 minutes, do not let the garlic burn.
3.    Add the parsley and stir well.
4.    Add the onion, celery and green pepper, raise heat to medium and cook 6 minutes, stirring periodically, add the tomatoes and cook 4 minutes more.
5.    Add the seafood stock, thyme, cayenne and paprika, bring to a boil.
6.    Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour.
7.    Remove from the heat, and with a fine sieve, strain the liquid into a 3 qt. pot – discard the solids.
8.    Return the liquid to a boil; add the molasses and the reserved tomato juice.
9.    Add the fish and cook uncovered for 40 minutes on medium-low.
10.    Raise the heat to medium and cook 20 minutes more.
11.    Remove large pieces of fish and shred or chop them, then return them to the chowder.
12.    Serve chowder in soup bowls, lacing each bowl with about 1 tablespoon of Gosling’s Bermuda Black Rum and several dashes of Outerbridge’s Sherry Peppers Sauce.

Serve with toasted French bread, brushed with olive oil and a well-chilled bottle of Sancerre.

Please see On Tour With The Literate Chef – Bermuda, Part I