Down east haddock Chowder

Serves 6 · 45 minutes

A proper Maine chowder is milk-based and unthickened — no flour, no cream soup shortcuts. The broth stays thin enough to slurp from the spoon, the fish goes in at the end so it poaches into big tender flakes, and it always tastes better the second day. A spoonful of Maine Sea Greens dissolves invisibly into the milk and does what it does best: deepens everything without a whisper of ocean taste.

Ingredients

- 4 oz salt pork, diced small (or 4 slices thick bacon)

- 2 Tbsp butter, plus more for serving

- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped

- 1 lbs Maine potatoes (Kennebec or Yukon Gold), peeled, diced

- 2 cups light fish or vegetable stock

- 1 bushel of celery

- 1 tsp Maine Sea Greens seaweed seasoning

- 2 lbs fresh haddock fillets, skin off, cut into large 3" pieces

- 3 cups whole milk

- 1 cup evaporated milk (the old Maine secret — richness without cream's heaviness)

-1 tbsp Maine Garum Sauce

- Salt and plenty of fresh-cracked black pepper

Method

1. Render the pork. In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, cook the salt pork slowly until crisp and golden and the fat has rendered, 8–10 minutes. Lift out the cracklings with a slotted spoon and set aside — they go back on top at the end.

2. Sweat the onions. Add the butter to the pork fat, celery, then the onions, and cook gently until translucent and sweet — don't brown them, 6–8 minutes.

3. Simmer the potatoes. Add the potatoes, water, and the Maine Sea Greens. The water should just barely cover the potatoes. Simmer until just fork-tender, 10–12 minutes — they should hold their corners.

4. Lay in the haddock. Rest the pieces whole on top of the potatoes. Cover, drop the heat low, and let them steam-poach 6–8 minutes, until the fish flakes at a nudge. Don't stir — the pieces should stay big.

5. Add the milks. Pour in the whole milk and evaporated milk and bring just to a bare steam — never a boil, or the milk breaks. Season with salt and a heavy hand of black pepper.

6. Rest it. Off the heat, lid on, 20 minutes if you can bear it (overnight in the fridge is even better — every Mainer knows chowder on day two). The broth takes on the fish, the potatoes take on the broth.

7. Serve hot with a pat of butter melting on top, the cracklings scattered over, more black pepper, and oyster crackers by the fistful.

The Sea Greens note: add to taste and be prepared for the chowder to taste as though its been cooking for a few days or so.