#FishFridayFoodies ~ Oven Baked Chowder

Welcome to my second posting for #FishFridayFoodies! This week we are sharing a seafood soup or stew recipe. Incorporating lean healthy seafood more regularly into my diet has been a goal of mine for awhile now, so when the lovely Wendy from A Day In The Life On The Farm suggested this group recently I was quick to raise my hand and jump on in! Inspiration and encouragement to try new delicious seafood recipes out? Yes please! Would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies?  We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month.  To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517@gmail.com. This month our lovely hostess is Stacy of Food Lust People Love.

This recipe is pretty dang amazing. I've never made a seafood soup or chowder before - I've made other types of chowder (potato, etc.) but not a fish version. I LOVE clam chowder and it is always a must have for me whenever we get back to Washington state for a visit with family. I have fond memories of the fast food restaurant Skippers there (which I've never seen anywhere else) because I loved their clam chowder. There are several great restaurants for chowder along the pier in Seattle too and I usually get a bowl on my Pike Place Market visit day. When I searched seafood soup recipes I saw this oven baked fish chowder and my curiosity was piqued. Oven baked sounded very easy, and a fish chowder sounded like something I could probably handle. 

In two simple baking steps, the vegetables are baked in the broth with some salt for seasoning, and the second half hour the pre-seasoned fish fillet pieces are added in and baked as well. The warmed cream is stirred in at the end. The process is very simple. Once your vegetables are prepped, there is very little hands on work leaving you plenty of time to do some dishes, play with your kiddos, watch some TV, sip some wine, or whatever else your heart may desire! I love how low maintenance this recipe is. And the result is a mild broth, light on the cream, but full of well cooked vegetables and a delicate white fish flavor (I used flounder - I could definitely taste "fish" but didn't find it overly "fishy"). This lovely simple chowder would pair perfectly with a glass of white wine and a crusty loaf of fresh baked french bread. Yumm. I'm so glad I tried this recipe - thank you for the inspiration Stacy! If you like more seasoning, feel free to season to taste after adding in the cream at the end. I thought the simple broth was perfect!

Oven Baked Chowder from Good Dinner Mom

Ingredients
¾ to 1 pound mild white fish (such as tilapia, flounder, or cod) about one inch thick, cut into large bite sized chunks
1 teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon paprika
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2½ cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth (I used vegetable)
1 tablespoon butter, cut in small chunks
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup diced bell pepper (diced small)
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 TBS dried parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Season the fish with ½ teaspoon salt and paprika. Put it back in the refrigerator until needed.
3. In 2-quart sized baking dish, combine the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion with remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Spread out evenly in the baking dish.
4. Pour the chicken or vegetable broth over vegetables, evenly sprinkle the butter on top. Add the bay leaf.
5. Cover the baking dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
6. Add the fish and the red pepper and return pan to the oven, covered, for another 30 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and easily flakes apart with a fork.
7. Gently heat the heavy whipping cream (I heated in a pan on the stove top over medium heat just until warm) and stir into the chowder.
8. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving. 

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