Easter Sunday Cooking: Smoky Fish Chowder

I feel much of my existence these days is all about "home cheffing," and so I was loathe to create more leftovers to cram in the refrigerator over the Easter holiday.  However, I had been wanting "to shop" the ingredients in my fridge and pantry per usual even before all this sheltering in place. I had spied Pacific rockfish filets in my freezer AND this NYTimes recipe inside my big black binder cookbook. I cooked and served this chowder once before to friends and husband with a loaf of sourdough bread to rave reviews.

I then remembered the leeks I bought on my 4-mile walk trek to Trader Joe's as well as the box of seafood stock I got months ago at Grocery Outlet.  I haven't been able to find my favorite hot smoked paprika, but the one in my spice cabinet had to do.  I also happened to have 3 slices of bacon in my refrigerator meat and cheese drawer.  All these ingredients and no ham just meant that smoky fish chowder was meant to be our Easter meal.

De rigueur to this chowder is thyme.  The recipe called for 3 branches, and once again I took the time instead to denude tiny branches of the herb of its leaves rather than just throw in my chowder and pluck out the branches later.

Cooking thank goodness is still immensely pleasurable to me and not a drudge. 

I'm such a patient cook now in this quarantine, and the herbs and aliums and bacon being sauteed were so fragrant.

Cooking this chowder also gave me a good excuse to drink Chardonnay because the recipe called for a quarter cup of vermouth or a white wine.

The recipe called for water in addition to the seafood stock, and I instead used the whole box of fish stock.  I think the last time I made this chowder, I made a homemade seafood stock with fish heads and bones and shrimp shells which makes for a really delicious soup.

I feel like this chowder did not have the good mouth feel and gelatinous body nor seafood deliciousness made from a homemade fish bone stock.

However, the chowder was comforting and delicious enough for a safe and sane Easter supper with enough jars to share with a couple neighbors.