Fish Chowder, Bermuda Style

By Marian Burros

Published January 23, 1982

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(36)
Comments
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Featured in: Food; SOUPS: THE HEARTY MEALS IN A BOWL

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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds sea bass

  • 2 pounds any other fish fillets

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried leaf thyme

  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 bay leaf

  • ¼ cup butter

  • 2 onions, chopped

  • 6 ribs celery, chopped

  • 1 green pepper, chopped

  • 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes

  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

  • ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

  • ¼ teaspoon curry powder

  • Lemon wedges

  • Dark rum and sherry

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

8 grams carbs; 113 milligrams cholesterol; 295 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 9 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 924 milligrams sodium; 45 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Remove heads and tails of sea bass. Discard tails. Place heads, fish bodies and fillets in large kettle. Add water just to cover, salt, thyme, cloves and bay leaf. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Strain, reserving stock. Discard heads; remove skin and bone from fish and flake the fish.

  3. Step 3

    In large kettle melt butter; add onions, celery and green pepper. Cook until tender.

  4. Step 4

    Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and curry. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Add reserved fish stock and flaked fish. Simmer 15 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Serve in heated soup bowls, adding a squeeze of lemon juice, a dash or two each of rum and sherry and additional hot pepper sauce to taste to each serving.

Tip

  • An excellent hot pepper sauce, Outerbridge's, imported from Bermuda, is the correct seasoning to use for this dish. If not available, use a domestic brand.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
36 user ratings
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Comments

Claudia WG

A dash of rum and 'hot pepper sauce' does not make a Bermudian Chowder, that should have Goslings Rum and Sherry Peppers Sauce, not dots of it. Very odd recipe. Also 1/4 tsp of anything is why bother?

Charles G.

Put the idea of a Bermuda fish chowder in historical context. Prior to the turn of the last century there was no electricity and the average house temp was warm. Food did not last. This is an excuse to clear the pantry. Grated carrots diced potatoes are missing, hot sauce (sherry peppers) & (Goslings) rum are way too moderate (2 tsp & 2+ oz).One big missing ingredient is beef stock, start with 1/2 a can of condensed consume or up to a full can. Let simmer++. Better the next day so chill overnite

larry w

Recipe is fine, but needs a lot of help. I use a packaged fish broth (instead of water) and added more than a cup as the chowder heated and reduced. As others have noted, it needs more hot sauce and I finished it with lime juice before serving. I also steamed a dozen little necks on the side and added them (4 to a bowl in shells) before serving, to make a dramatic presentation.

Joe T

Good but seemed bland. Keep the water volume down, increase the Worcestershire sauce and the hot sauce.

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