Explore the vibrant flavors of Bermuda with this chunky Fish Chowder, a recipe inspired by the island’s renowned fish chowder. Infused warm spices, the spiked tomato broth serves as a flavorful canvas for hearty shards of delicate white fish and chunky bits of veg, capturing the essence of Bermuda’s coastal charm in every delightful bite.
The Bermuda Inspired Fish Chowder recipe comes from the beautiful, eponymous island. You can guess what wonderful blend of seafood and spices it will be coming from a sea-fringed island!
I use flavorful ingredients like onion, garlic, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, pepper, and agave nectar in my fish chowder recipe. Together with cinnamon, white wine, and rum, they create a moreish taste that will have you refilling your bowl.
The entire dish takes about 3 hours to prep and cook, but trust me, the wait is worth the while. You can serve it at dinner, on upcoming holidays, or during family gatherings. Want to enjoy a quiet brothy-creamy dish while curled up in a blanket and watching Netflix on a cold night? Fish chowder is your answer.
On a nutrition-based, healthy diet? Well, treat your tongue with chowder and a side salad. You can also serve the dish with break bread, crackers, and fritters to make a feast of it.
Which is the best fish for chowder?
A lean, meaty fish, usually white or light in color, and have a mild flavor. Such as snapper, bass, grouper, or cod are best used in chowder.
What is the difference between soup and chowder?
Soup is all stock or broth and can have meat, veggies, or fish. Generally, soup is also not too thick. On the other hand, chowder may use the same ingredients but is chunkier, creamier, and thicker than soup.
What to serve with fish chowder?
There are varieties of dishes and side dishes you can serve alongside fish chowder. My best pick would be the classic Caesar salad with oyster crackers. You can also serve the fish chowder with:
- Any green salad dressed with vinaigrette
- Bacon-wrapped scallops or clam fritters
- Skillet cornbread, crusty French bread, or beer batter bread
Can I make chowder in advance?
Yes, you can make fish chowder two days in advance. After cooking, allow it to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
How to store leftovers of fish chowder?
After cooking, allow it to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The fish chowder will be kept fresh for 3-4 days. However, if you made chowder in advance, this will cut the leftover storage life to 1 or 2 days. Only reheat the desired serving amount rather than the entire batch. This will help to preserve storage life as well.
Can you freeze fish chowder?
Yes, for extended fish chowder shelf life, freeze the dish in an airtight container or freezer bags. However, when ready to consume.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
- Elote Corn Chowder
- Green Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Creamy Pea & Mint Soup
- Grandma’s Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped onion (1 medium size)
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped celery (3 stalks)
- 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (1 large size)
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic (5 cloves)
- 28 oz. stewed tomatoes chopped
- 64 oz. seafood stock
- 1 cup white wine**
- ½ cup ketchup
- 4 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 lb. white fish fillets finely diced (ex. snapper, bass, grouper or cod)
- ½ cup agave nectar
- ½ cup chopped parsley chopped
Optional
- Sherry Pepper Rum sauce
Instructions
- In a large pot, on medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, celery, red bell pepper and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Stir in the seafood stock, white wine, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, salt, pepper, thyme, cayenne, paprika, and cinnamon. Increase heat to high, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the finely diced fish and agave nectar. Cook uncovered for 90 – 120 minutes. Periodically, use large whisk to stir and break up the fish pieces. While the chowder is cooking, be sure to constantly skim any impurities that may rise to the surface.
- Fish out the bay leaves and stir in chopped parsley. Chowder is traditionally served warm with a tablespoon of rum and a few dashes of sherry pepper sauce.
Notes
- This is traditionally made with sherry wine. I don’t use that ingredient very often so I skipped it to simplify the recipe but if you have it add about 1/3 cup when you add the white wine.
Nutrition
Equipment
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
**The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
7 thoughts on “Island Fish Chowder”
LOVE this concept and I am going to try a few of these recipes I viewed on black food network!!
Let me know how they turn out!
This looks amazing, but that seems like a huge amount of sugar. I’ve never put sugar in a fish chowder. Would it still be good without it?
Fish out the Bay Leaves………I see what you did there 🙂
I haven’t tried your recipe yet, but I can taste it as I read, and it will be delicious made with Grouper!
Hahaha. Happy you caught it. LOL
This sounds great just one question.
Maybe it’s silly but I’ve never made a fish chowder. Is the fish diced raw? Or do you cook it first and add it?
Great question! The fish is diced raw and is cooked in the stew.