Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [11]
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
One 8-ounce bottle clam juice (see page 8)
1 medium yellow-fleshed potato (about 6 ounces), such as Yukon Gold, peeled (see headnote)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
pound hake, cod, or flounder fillets, cut into ½-inch pieces (see Note)
¼ cup heavy cream
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat. Sprinkle the onion over the butter, stir well, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until limp but golden, stirring frequently. For the traditional look of a white chowder, do not let the onion brown. Stir in the milk and clam juice, raise the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
2. Use a vegetable peeler to slice off paper-thin strips of the peeled potato, letting them fall directly into the soup; then stir in the bay leaf and thyme. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, stirring often to prevent sticking.
3. Add the fish and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The soup may just barely come back to a boil in the time allotted. Stir in the cream, raise the heat to medium, and bring the soup to a full simmer.
4. Meanwhile, make a paste out of the flour with the remaining 1 teaspoon softened butter by mashing them together with the back of a fork in a small bowl or tea cup. Once the soup is simmering, whisk in this butter mixture; continue cooking and whisking for about 1 minute, or until the soup thickens. Season with salt and serve immediately.
NOTE: Always ask to smell fish fillets before you buy them. They should smell fresh and clean, like the ocean on a spring morning, never like the tidal flats on a summer afternoon.
JAMBALAYA makes 2 generous servings
While there’s no bigger crowd-pleaser in Louisiana than jambalaya, a thick stew of ham hocks, shrimp, and rice, it’s just as good when made in a small batch. Jambalaya begins with a roux (or thickener) of peanut oil and flour; cook the roux over low heat until it’s deep maroon, whisking frequently to keep it from sticking and scorching. If you have peanut allergies, substitute a tablespoon of unsalted butter, but lower the heat so the butter doesn’t burn while the roux toasts. Although jambalaya is traditionally an all-day dish, we’ve turned it into one fit for your workday repertoire by substituting purchased smoked ham for the hocks.
1 tablespoon peanut oil (see headnote)
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 small onion, chopped
1 small cubanel pepper, seeded, cored, and chopped (see Notes)
1 medium celery rib, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped smoked ham (about 5 ounces; see Notes)
One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes
¼ cup white rice
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 medium (about 30 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, sprinkle the flour evenly over the oil, then immediately reduce the heat to very low. Cook undisturbed for 20 seconds, then whisk briefly to incorporate the flour into the oil. Now let the roux cook for one minute undisturbed, then cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture turns a deep reddish brown, whisking frequently.
2. Stir in the onion, pepper, celery, and garlic until they are coated with the roux—be careful: it’s very hot and may splatter when it comes into contact with water on or in the vegetables. Raise the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables soften