Rockport Fish Chowder

Low fat milk and clam juice are the secrets to the lower fat and saturated fat content of this satisfying supper soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3/4 c. coarsely chopped onion
• ½ c. coarsely chopped celery
• 1 c. sliced carrots
• 2 c. potatoes, raw, 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 3/4-inch cubes
• ¼ c. flour
• 3 c. low-fat (1%) milk
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and celery and sauté about 3 minutes.
2. Add carrots, potatoes, thyme, paprika, and clam broth. Wrap peppercorns and bay leaves in cheese cloth. 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; break fish into chunks. Bring broth to a boil and continue boiling until volume is reduced to 1 cup. Remove bay leaves and peppercorns.
5. Shake flour and ½ cup low-fat (1%) milk in a container with a tight-fitting lid until smooth. Add to broth in saucepan with 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.

Yield:

8 servings--Serving Size: 1 cup each

Each serving provides:

Calories: 186
Total fat: 6 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 34 mg
Sodium: 302 mg

Recipe courtesy the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute