44 Comments

Loved, loved, loved this recipe - thanks!!! Had never made chowder before, having had an unfounded aversion to the idea of using evaporated milk (in many recipes). Not any more! Liked the simplicity of the recipe and the fact that it didn't call for flour. I used fresh frozen ling cod and was delighted by the tastiness of the chowder - immediately after it was made as well as a few days later. This recipe is definitely a keeper :-)

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I'm so happy to hear it! Thank you for taking the time to say so!

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So good to see you home Laura---coincidentally Jack and I have been eating this soup for the last three days (we made a big "cauldron" of it from the recipe you published a couple of years back) So good to see you two back home as we are consuming it---it is a great recipe!!!

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Thank you! So nice to know when recipes get tried out! xo

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My favourite fish chowder is the one that our somewhat eccentric former neighbour drops off randomly , whenever his mother sends him the ingredients from the East Coast ...it’s bit vague as to which province. Just shows up at the door, with a vat of the stuff, calls me darling, and says get your Tupperware out & we get our ration . Loaded with cream , fish & shellfish, so good and always a lovely surprise.

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Lucky you to have such a fun-sounding and generous neighbour!

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Hi Laura, I made the chowder following your recipe, using cod. It was absolutely delicious. The addition of evaporated milk did not make the chowder end up tasting like evaporated milk! I loved that my spoon did not stand up in it. The broth taste was simple and soothing. Definitely a keeper.

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It is cold on the East Coast these days! A steaming bowl of chowder would be perfect to take that chill off. I've never used evaporated milk in a chowder but have a few cans in my pantry so I'm looking forward to trying it. Thought I would share a lactose free option for those who would miss out on this comforting meal: My daughter is lactose intolerant and I discovered that I could boil a full head of cauliflower, puree it with some of the liquid it cooked in to achieve the desired consistency for the broth. She loves that she can eat seafood chowder again and no one else really noticed it wasn't the milk + cream I typically use!

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Great idea for giving body to soup without starch. Thank you!

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This discussion brings back some memories for me. I had not realized that evaporated milk was a Maritime ingredient for chowder. However, my Dad is from PEI and he used evaporated milk for his lobster stew and clam chowder; he didn't make fish chowder due to my brother's allergy to fish. I often make fish chowder using a Canadian Living recipe in which chunks of fish (haddock or cod) are added after the potatoes have cooked, followed by whole milk or cream. This recipe also has some flour added to the sauteed onions. I will have to try your recipe Laura as I like the idea of using the fish poaching liquid for the chowder, as well as using the evaporated milk. It seems evaporated milk was used quite a bit in the past, as my Dad also made scalloped potatoes with evaporated milk and I also recall my Mom making brownies with Carnation evaporated milk and both were delicious. I am enjoying the discussion and appreciate the recipes shared in the comments as well.

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The nice thing about doing the fish first to make the broth is that the potatoes and onions then absorb some of that flavour as they cook. But, it's important to take the fish out, just done, then add it again at the end so it doesn't overcook. My mother uses carnation milk for lobster soup and clam chowder also, lobster soup being the dish of choice on New Year's Eve.

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I have all your books and learned so much.

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Question: is there a specific type/color onion??

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Just regular yellow onions.

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Thank you, Laura. I have never made chowder before, and this was absolutely delicious, proven by my cowboy husband’s “mmm, that IS good!”. And I love that it is a simple, tried and true recipe from your family. Very nice!

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My go to recipe for fish chowder is from a booklet called FLAVORS OF QUEBEC, published years ago by the 'women's services department' of Delta Air Lines, Inc in Atlanta, Georgia. (Is such an office still existent?) The recipe purports to have come from the Canadian Home Economics Association. It is the very same as your mother's with the addition of 1/2 cup of sliced carrots. It requires 2 cups of whole milk at the end. It's a simple recipe and perfect for cold winter nights. I wonder if tinned milk might have been kept on hand if the fresh was not readily available and over time became part of the ingredient list? However, I'll pick up a can of evaporated milk the next time I shop. Have to try it!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane with old time household objects and the charming discussion about chowder.

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I love old cookbooks like that. Full of the tried and true!

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My husband makes a fine clam chowder. Two things that he does is (a) add a "glug" of white wine at the end and (2) boil potatoes down to a pulp to thicken the chowder.

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Both good!

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We made this chowder tonight exactly as written. We loved it! We used cod as that’s what is available to us. Using evaporated milk as the broth was new to me. Now there will be no going back!

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Hurrah!

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Loved seeing the old devices. That string dispenser is fabulous.

I agree with many posts that fish chowder, vs seafood, vs clam chowder should all contain different piscatory delights! Simple fish is great, and I look forward to making your recipe, but I won't say no to a bowl abundant in shrimp, lobster, clams, and mussels no matter how land locked I am.

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Yum, Laura. I can't wait to try this. It's such an uncomplicated recipe yet the results look amazing! Your serving vessel is quite beautiful too. Thanks for sharing.

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Great recipe! I lived in SJ for 10 yrs. where I learned all about chowder and to make a good one! Fish chowder vs seafood chowder is debatable too. I definitely agree re salmon.I loved the chowder mix that they sold the Market at the grocery store. I missed it in Toronto. Loved the video!

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The two of you make a sweet and fabulous team! I always learn something new from your entertaining and interesting videos - they are a bright spot in my day. Thank you!

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