Add a Milwaukee swagger to New England-style chowder.
Ingredients
3 slices bacon (MKE recommendation: Patrick Cudahy thick sliced sweet apple-wood bacon)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c olive oil
3 T flour
1 c milk
1 c half-and-half (equal parts milk and cream)
2 c chicken or vegetable stock
3 potatoes (about 3 cups, diced)
12 oz MKE beer (MKE recommendation: Miller High Life)
1 1/2 lb fish cut into 1-inch chunks (MKE recommendations: something you caught, lake whitefish from Lake Michigan, rainbow trout from a nearby trout farm, tilapia from a nearby aquaponic facility)
1/2 lb smoked fish broken into chunks (MKE recommendations: lake whitefish from Lake Michigan, rainbow trout from a nearby trout farm)
to taste: salt, black pepper, other spices or herbs
1 c grated cheddar cheese (MKE recommendation: Clock Shadow Creamery)
Garnishes
dashes of paprika, chives, basil
oyster crackers
Optional vegetables
1 carrot, diced
1 c corn (or one cob of corn)
1/2 c mushrooms
others as desired
Methods
- Crisp bacon in a skillet. Remove and pour off 1/2 the fat.
- Sauté celery, onion and garlic in remaining bacon fat (also consider adding optional vegetables).
- Make a roux out of the olive oil and flour by heating the oil in a pot and mixing in flour.
- While stirring, add cold milk and half-and-half to the roux and slowly bring to a simmer.
- Add the potatoes, stock, fish and seasonings and continue simmering.
- Slowly add the beer to the pot.
- Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally. Cheese lovers might also add 1/4 c of cheese to the pot during this time.
- Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, paprika, chives, basil and oyster crackers.
