Corn and Fish Chowdah

Thursday June 19

Due to Trader Joe's packaging, we had about a third of a pound of scrappier sole bits and a quarter pound of lox bits left over from yesterday's Soletimbocca. There were also four ears of corn and a red pepper lying about. The answer: a lovely chowdah (that's how they say it in Bahstun, its natural habitat).


So in a kettle with lovely butter sauté a stick of chopped celery and 3/4 of an onion, also chopped. When all is tender, add a diced red pepper and let it go for a while. At that point add the kernels cut from all the corn, and enough milk to cover. Bring to a low boil. Season with fresh chopped chervil and thyme. Once the corn is tender (and this may take a while depending) add a half-pint of heavy cream, rehot. Then the above-mentioned sole, chopped up, . At the very end, throw in the chopped lox bits, stir a few times, and there you are. The lox serves the smoky function of bacon in a regular chowder base.

Oh, and there was a secret ingredient: along with the herbs, a touch of Pimenton de la Vera, to make even more smoky flavor. Subtle, but nice.