Click any image for a close-up!

Clam Box Fish Chow-Da

Recipe courtesy Clam Box, Ipswich, Massachusetts

• 1/4 pound unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 1/2 pounds waxy-style potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
• Water, as needed
• 5 pounds boneless, skinless cod fillets
• 6 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups whole milk, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 pounds bluefish fillet, skin and bones removed, cut into 4-ounce pieces
• Oyster crackers, as needed

Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat, add onions and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cod and enough water to cover. Simmer for 5 minutes more. Let the chowder cool. Stir in the half-and-half and milk (add more milk if necessary). Refrigerate the chowder, covered, overnight.

When ready to serve, reheat the chowder in a double boiler or crock pot, stirring only occasionally--you don't want to break up the cod too much. Serve with oyster crackers and enjoy!