Nova Scotia Fish Chowder

 

We have had a rather gloomy and rainy few days now. Soup days. That's what I call them.  Today I was feeling very nostalgic for home and I decided to cook us up a delicious Nova Scotia Fish Chowder.  A taste of home sweet home for me.

 

This recipe is not quite as rich as my other recipe for fish chowder, which contains carrots and celery and cream.  This is a really simple and basic recipe which is typically Nova Scotian and was adapted from an old cookery book of  mine entitled "Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens" by Marie Nightingale.

 

It is a treasure trove of historic Nova Scotian recipes.  My family has been in Nova Scotia before even the first settlers arrived on its shores.  I have Mi'kmaq ancestry as well as Scottish, English, Irish, German, etc.  I am a virtual melting pot of Nova Scotia peoples, as most of us are.

 

For this chowder I used some beautiful Haddock fillets. I get my haddock  from Seafresh quality foods.  I am in love with their fish, and really love their Haddock.

 

Their Haddock Fillets are skinless and boneless, having been frozen at Sea with just a few hours of being caught. This wonderful process means the fish is as fresh as it can be. Each fillet weighs in between 130g-170g. There is 900g of Haddock per order (approx. 5-7 fillet), and right now it is on offer for £5 less than the regular price.

 

Haddock is very versatile fish.  Pan fried or poached, oven baked or grilled.  It really is beautiful in recipes like this fabulous fish chowder.

  

The New England States like to claim to be the inventors of Chowders, but there is a strong possibility that chowders were first created by the French settlers at Port Royal.  The word "chowder" comes from the French word, "Chaudiere."  This was the name of the cast iron pot that they cooked their soups and stews in.

 

In any case, this recipe I am sharing with you today is considered to be more than 100 years old, and is in my opinion a fabulous recipe for using some of the beautiful haddock that I have in my freezer.

 

You know its a simple recipe because it is such an old recipe, using simple ingredients that are readily available.

 

You also know that it is delicious, because after 100 + years it has quite simply stood the test of time.

 

Good fish, onion, potato, salt pork/bacon, water and milk are all you need aside from a few other sundries/seasonings.

 

Soda crackers are not readily available over here in the UK, but you can get Italian crackers that are very similar and they are what I use.  They help to thicken it a bit.

 

Todd enjoys his with a slice of thick buttered bread . . . 

  

The Canadian in me has to have crackers.  There is just no two ways about it.  I love crackers with my soups.  Enjoy!

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Nova Scotia Fish Chowder

Yield: 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Simple, traditional and very delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds haddock fillets
• 1/2 pound salt pork, diced (alternately use smoked streaky bacon)
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 tsp summer savoury (optional)
• 480ml boiling water (2 cups)
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
• 960ml whole milk (4 cups)
• 8 small soda crackers, crumbled
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions:

1. Cut your fish into 1 inch cubes.  Saute your pork/bacon in a large saucepan until crisp. (I had to add a small splash of olive oil as my bacon was quite lean.)
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring, without browning until softened.  Add the potatoes, summer savoury (if using) and boiling water.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the fish cubes and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
3. Heat the milk, crackers, butter and seasoning in another saucepan just to the boil.  (DON'T allow it to boil.) Once it is heated combine it with the potatoes, water, onions and fish. Heat through.   Taste and adjust seasoning as required.  Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve immediately.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

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Seafresh has the UK covered delivery-wise, and has been providing door to door contactless delivery throughout the pandemic. This has really meant a lot to me. 

A few things about Seafresh:

• Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
• All packages are carefully hand packed.
• Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount. 
• Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
• Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
• Wide variety to choose from. 

Do check them out on their website to find out more.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Note - Although I was gifted with product free of charge for the purposes of review, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange, nor would my integrity allow me to recommend anything if I did not truly like it. Any and all my opinions are my own entirely.



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Asian Glazed Salmon

 

Fish for Friday today with a delicious Asian Glazed Salmon!  You can't go wrong with a delicious boneless and skinless Salmon fillet.  I have never been fond of skin on my fish.  To me it is a bit of a turn off, so that is why I really love these boneless and skinless salmon fillets I get from Seafresh. 

 

Their fish is so amazing.  I have never had any fish from them that I didn't like.  Its frozen fresh at the source and so it is some of  the freshest fish that you can find.  Their salmon fillets are absolutely gorgeous. Boneless and skinless and individually frozen so that you can take out as many or as few as you want to cook at any given time.

  

At the moment when those of us who are self isolating are unable to get the shops and home delivery slots are really difficult to get, shopping at online shops like Seafresh is the way to go!  They make it so easy to shop.  Just log on to their easy to use shop, choose what you want, pop it into your cart and then pay.  There is same day dispatch on all orders place before 1 PM, and free delivery on order over £50.  I have been getting fish from them for a while now and I really can't fault them.  Everything has been impeccable, from the ordering, to the packaging, delivery, quality, etc.  And their customer service is examplary.

 

I love their Salmon fillets.  Being centre cut they are cut from the centre of the fish and not the tail.  This means that they are of a beautiful thickness and are not really "fishy" tasting if that makes sense.  Cuts of salmon closer to the tail have a much stronger flavour, which I am not overly fond of!

 

They are also sustainably sourced from the cold and clear waters of Scotland and the Faroe Islands.  Their salmon is some of the best I have ever eaten, and I confess, I have eaten a lot of Salmon in my lifetime!

 

One thing I love about Salmon is that with its slightly stronger flavour it lends itself beautifully to glazes and rubs and one of our favourite glazes is this beautiful Asian one. 

 

Its sticky and sweet from the use of brown sugar, which mixes very well with salty dark soy sauce.  A bit of lime juice adds some tartness to counteract the sweet.

 

Even more Asian flavours are injected into the glaze with the use of some Hoisin sauce and ground ginger.  I always have Hoisin sauce in my refrigerator.  For those of you not familiar with it, Hoisin sauce is a lovely thick and fragrant asian sauce which is a beautiful combination of salty and sweet.

 

This sauce also packs some heat with the use of crushed red chilli flakes and some ground black pepper. You can control how much heat you want or don't want.  I tend to go for less than the recipe calls for myself, although Todd is certainly not adversed to eating food that bites back.

 

The whole recipe itself is a very easy one.  Fish, I find, is very easy and quick to cook. 

 

For this you simply make the sauce, which is just a matter of combining the ingredients and bringing them to a boil.  (I like to do it in a measuring cup  in the  microwave.) Once made, the hot sauce is poured over the fish fillets in a baking dish.

 

The baking dish gets popped into a moderate oven and 12 to 15 minutes later you are rewarded with perfectly cooked and glazed delicious pieces of salmon!!

 

While it is baking you can cook some rice and a vegetable to enjoy along side, or even a salad if you are couting your carbs.  An asian coleslaw would be lovely!

  

Today I served it simply with some steamed long grain rise and honey lime carrots.  Just peel, slice and cook some carrots until crispy tender, drain well and then return to the saucepan along with a small knob of butter, some honey, some lime zest and a bit of lime juice, stiring and tossing them together until they are heated through and sweetly glazed.  Terribly yum! 

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Asian Glazed Salmon

Perfectly cooked boneless, skinless salmon fillets with a sweet and spicy Asian glaze.  This simply delicious.

Ingredients:

• 4 (4 to 6 ounce) salmon fillets, boneless, skinless, thawed if frozen
• 100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 120ml asian soy sauce (1/2 cup)
• 2 TBS hoisin sauce
• 2 TBS ground ginger-root
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 TBS fresh lime juice

Instructions:

How to cook Asian Glazed Salmon

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. fas mark 4.  You will need a glass baking dish large enough to hold the fish fillets in a single layer with some room around each. Spray the dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Place the salmon into the dish in a single layer.
2. Place all of the remaining ingredients into a glass microwavable safe measure.  Whisk together to combine and then heat in the microwave on high until the  mixture comes to the boil, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Alternately measure the ingredients into a saucepan and cook over moderate heat until the mixture comes to the boil.
3. Pour the hot glaze over the salmon fillets in the baking dish.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the  fish flakes easily and is just cooked through.
5. Serve the fish fillets immediately, with some of the glaze spooned over top.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

This recipe also lends itself perfectly to cutting in half to serve only two people. This is so tasty that I would serve it to company without blinking an eye.  The ease of preparation, and quick cook time, make it perfect for that, not to mention the beautiful combination of flavours. 

 

As with any fish dish, quality speaks for itself.  When you are starting with really good fish, you really don't or shouldnt' have to do very much to it to get the best from it.  The Salmon fillets from Seafresh are beautiful. I think they are the best I have ever eaten and that says a lot!  If you are looking for quality fish at a great price with a fabulous delivery service I can't recommend Seafresh highly enough!  Their product, delivery service, packaging and customer service are exemplary in my opinion and so is this recipe!! 

A few things about Seafresh:

• Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
• All packages are carefully hand packed.
• Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount. 
• Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
• Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
• Wide variety to choose from. 

Do check them out on their website to find out more.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Note - Although I was gifted with product free of charge for the purposes of review, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange, nor would my integrity allow me to recommend anything if I did not truly like it. Any and all my opinions are my own entirely.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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Garlic Herbed Cod & Chips

 

Todd always likes to complain that I have too much food in the house.  I do like to keep the fridge and freezer full and I have a healthy store cupboard.  The last time I went to Canada without him, he made a huge dent in the store cupboard.  He bragged that he didn't have to spend more than £10 a week on groceries. (I seriously doubt that, but you know men!)  In any case I reckon he must have had the strangest meals, made up of whatever tinned food he could get his hands on. I dare not think of it.  I can only tell you that it took me a while to build it back up again, and he broke the can opener when I was away.

 

I can tell you one thing, however  . . .  in these past couple of weeks he has come to appreciate my store cupboard in a way he never has before.  I confess I am a bit worried that we won't be able to make it last.  We are quite lacking in fruits and vegetables.  I have tried to create an online order for some, but you can't get a delivery space at all, and there is no telling if you will even get what's on your list if you did.  I have heard stories of people only getting a fraction of what they needed.  I have also contacted some home delivery vegetable schemes, but again, have had no response. I am afraid we have what we have and that is that.

 

For the moment we do have plenty of frozen protein and I have potatoes and onions, garlic.  Canned tomatoes, beans, mushy peas, corn, apples, peaches, pears, mandarins and pineapple, and I also have tinned fish, chicken and ham, as well as corned beef and some spam. 

 

I am so very grateful for the frozen fish that we have.  We have cod and salmon, haddock and squid rings.  I get all of my fish from Seafresh Quality Foods, which is an online fish monger.  We have always been more than happy with the service and product which we have received from them.

 

Their Cod Loins are exceptional.  Sustainably sourced from the cold waters of the North Atlantic, they are meaty and sweet and beautifully white in colour.

 

They also have much more than fish and seafood available in their online shop. You can also buy chicken and duck, beef and lamb and an assortment of oven ready products.  I love, LOVE their fish fingers! 

 

All of the restaurants and pubs are shut down in the UK now.  Even McDonalds is closed.  Who would have ever thunk that such a day would come.  We are having to get really inventive at home, but really that's no hardship. We have plenty of time on our hands now . . .

 

Today I created a quasi-Fish & Chip supper for us, using some of our precious potatoes and some Cod Loins. I have given quantities for four people but you can easily cut it down to feed two.  I did.

 

You cut the potatoes into fingers and toss them together with some oil and Italian Garlic seasoning.  Spread out on a baking sheet, they go into a hot oven while you prepare your fish.

 

I had thawed my fish out in the refrigerator over night.  I just patted it dry with some paper towel and popped it onto another baking sheet.  I created an herb, garlic and cheese mixture to spread over it and once the chips were about halfway done I popped them into the oven to cook.

  

The end result was perfectly cooked, tender and flavourful cod and chips that we both enjoyed immensely.  I opened a small can of mushy peas to enjoy along with them.  Not quite like the chippy, but probably a whole lot healthier!

Garlic Herbed Cod & Chips

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

A quick, easy and delicious main fish dish. All you need on the side is a vegetable.  In the British tradition we like mushy peas.

Ingredients:

For the chips:

• 4 medium to large red potatoes, washed and dried unpeeled
• 2 TBS oil
• 1 tsp garlic herb seasoning

For the fish:

• 4 cod loin fillets
• 4 TBS real mayonnaise
• 4 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 TBS each dried flat leaf parsley and basil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• fine sea salt and fresly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

How to cook Garlic Herbed Cod & Chips

1. Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 7.  Line two baking sheets with foil and butter the foil.
2. Cut your potatoes into chips. Just cut them in the size you  and your family enjoy having them. I do mine about 1/2 inch width/depth.  Put the potatoes into a bowl and toss together with the oil and Italian garlic herb seasoning to coat all well.  Pour onto one of the baking sheets and spread out in a single layer.  Bang the baking sheet into the oven.  Roast for 15 minutes.
3. While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the fish.  Wipe and pat dry with paper toweling.  Season each fillet with some salt and pepper and place onto the other baking sheet.
4. Stir together the mayonnaise, cheese, herbs and garlic,  Spread a portion of this mixture evenly over the top of each fillet.
5. Flip the chips and return to the oven
6. Pop the tray wih the fish into the oven also.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fish and chips are golden brown and the fish flakes easily with the tines of a fork.
7. Serve hot with your favourite vegetable.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

Created using The Recipes Generator 

  

How are you coping with the restrictions we are having to live with at the moment?  I am a bit worried that what I have will last, but we will see.  In the meantime I think we are very blessed to have what we have.

A few things about Seafresh:

• Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
• All packages are carefully hand packed.
• Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount. 
• Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
• Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
• Wide variety to choose from. 

Do check them out on their website to find out more.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Read more