a peek inside the fishbowl

After Christmas dinner I had a whole bunch of oven-baked tilapia left over. I bought too much, and the thought of throwing it out made me feel faint. You see, it was a bit of a splurge at Farm Boy, costing as much (if not more) than a big turkey would have. Normally I get it on sale, but I think I was buying wild, not farmed… hence the difference in price.

I put the call out on Twitter and a bunch of people had some great suggestions regarding what I could do with leftover cooked fish: fish tacos, fish cakes, fish casserole. But then Rebecca sent along this clam chowder recipe and I knew that I’d found my answer. By subbing the fish for some of the clams I knew it’d make a great meal.

I followed the recipe pretty closely. I used one can of clams instead of two, and added in all of my leftover fish and a bit of water because I quickly realized I’d gone overboard. I wasn’t sure what was meant by “generous splash” of white wine but it was a serious glug or two. (Speaking of which, we had the chowder with a fresh and fruity 2009 Pinot Grigio from Konzelmann Estate Winery that came to our doorstep via Fishbowl patron SavvyCompany. Three cheers for great wine!)

It was utterly utterly delicious.

It’s the perfect meal for a cold winter’s night. Mark liked it too, but perhaps it was a little too thick for this liking. (“It’s a stew!” he declared. I guess that’s what a chowder is? Stewlike and chunky, right?)

You could probably use any fish for this, and I really loved how I was able to use up my leftovers. The question remains, did the kids eat it? Sadly, the answer is no. One declared the broth to be “good” but avoided the fish. The other tried it and shook her head.

I would love my kids to eat more fish, especially in this format. It’s so easy and hearty. (Note I didn’t say HEART HEALHTY. Did you see how much cream was in that recipe? Ha.) Happily, I have discovered ONE way they’ll eat it, and it’s NOT not fish sticks, so it might surprise you. Stay tuned!