Rockport Fish Chowder

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

• ¾ C coarsely chopped onion

• ½ C coarsely chopped celery

• 1 C sliced carrots

• 2 C potatoes, rinsed, peeled, and cubed

• ¼ tsp thyme

• ½ tsp paprika

• 2 C bottled clam juice

• 8 whole peppercorns

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 lb fresh or frozen (thawed) cod or haddock fillets, cut into ¾-inch cubes

• ¼ C flour

• 3 C low-fat (1 percent) or fat-free milk, divided

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• 1

  Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion and celery, and sauté about 3 minutes.

• 2

  Add carrots, potatoes, thyme, paprika, and clam juice. Wrap peppercorns and bay leaf in cheese cloth, and add to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

• 3

  Add fish and simmer an additional 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily and is opaque.

• 4

  Remove fish and vegetables from the pot; break fish into chunks. Bring the broth to a boil and continue boiling until volume is reduced to 1 cup. Remove bay leaf and peppercorns.

• 5

  Shake flour and ½ cup milk in a container with a tight-fitting lid until smoothly mixed together. Add to broth in the pot, along with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and is thickened.

• 6

  Return vegetables and fish chunks to stock and heat thoroughly. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley.