Oven Baked Chowder

Meals like this oven-baked chowder are exactly the type of recipes that instantly become keepers. Why? The chowder is deeply flavorful and the fish and veggies cook perfectly every time, with little assistance from you. Plus, it’s a one-pot meal that serves up both protein and veggies and leaves behind only a few dirty dishes.

Change the recipe up seasonally with different vegetables, or stick with this tried and true combination of parsnips, carrots and bell pepper. Using different types of fish is an option, too; sea bass and halibut are always delicious, and wild salmon, of course, is never a bad choice for its abundant omega-3s.

Is this traditional chowder? No, but it’s just as good (or maybe even better).

Servings: 4

Time in the Kitchen: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds fish, each fillet about 1 inch thick, skin removed (680 g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (2.5 ml)
½ teaspoon paprika (2.5 ml)
2 parsnips (or other root vegetable), thinly sliced or cut into 1-inch cubes
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
2 ½ cups chicken stock (600 ml)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut in small chunks (15 g)
1 bay leaf
1 red pepper, thinly sliced or finely chopped
½ cup whole cream or coconut milk (120 ml)
4 sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 ºF/190 ºC.

Season fish with kosher salt and paprika. Set aside.

In an 8×11 or similar sized baking dish, toss parsnips, carrots, celery and onion with olive oil. Spread out evenly in the baking dish.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan on the stove. Pour over the vegetables.

Evenly sprinkle the butter on top. Add the bay leaf.

Cover the baking dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes.

Add the fish and the red pepper and bake again, covered, for another 30 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and easily flakes apart with a fork.

Gently heat the whole cream or coconut milk and stir into the chowder. Sprinkle the fresh dill on top.

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