Name: Sweet Potato Fish Chowder
Ingredients: 1/2 Pound Bacon; 5 Large Sweet Potatoes; 2 Stalks Celery; 2 Small Onions; 2 Cuban Peppers; 1 Can Chipotles in Adobo; 2 Quarts Veggie Stock; 1 Pint Cream; 1.5 Pounds Fresh White Fish (like halibut, haddock, or cod, diced into one inch squares)

This recipe has been in my head for about a month. When I come up with ideas of what to cook, I usually write them down in my phone to make sure that later when I am not as inspired, I can just look in my phone to figure out what to make. With this soup, I didn’t even need my phone. The idea has been swirling around in my brain non stop. Should I add this? Take out this? Would it pair with this? When I finally made the soup, it was everything I had hoped for. This is my favorite recipe from at least the last month on the site, and i urge everyone to try it.

Piles of sweet potato! That’s celery, onions, and peppers on the right.

Any recipe that starts with a half pound of bacon has to be good.

Developing deep flavor and fond.

Dicing up the fish nice and small.

Chipotle makes this soup amazing.

Scraping the fond or crust from the bottom of the pot.

It is hard to tell from this picture, but this is an immersion blender going to work on the soup.

Letting it reduce a bit.

The fish only cooks about 2 minutes.

This was crazy delicious.

The best thing I have made in a long time. Thanks for helping and making the bread Steph!

Sweet Potato Fish Chowder
1/2 lb bacon, chopped into 1 inch segments
5 large sweet potatoes, diced into half inch squares
1 celery heart, diced
2 small onions, diced
2 cuban peppers, diced
6 chipotles from a can, seeded and diced
2 cartons of vegetable stock
1 pint cream
1 and 1/2 lbs fresh white fish like halibut, haddock, or cod, diced into one inch squares

separate 1/4 of the diced celery and 1/3 of the diced sweet potatoes and set aside
cook the bacon in some oil until crispy
remove bacon with a slotted spoon, keeping fat in the pan. set aside
add to the pan the onions, peppers, and larger portions of sweet potatoes and celery
cook on high for 10 or so minutes until everything softens and a nice layer of fond (crust) builds up on the bottom of the pan
add the chipotles and cook another 2 minutes
turn the heat down slightly and add one of the stock cartons
quickly and vigorously scrape the buildup off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon
add the other stock carton and stir to combine, continuously scraping the bottom to be sure to get everything
When the soup reaches a boil, check a sweet potato for softness, it should be fork tender by now
with an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. you could use a normal blender for this as well
Add some salt to taste, the bacon is salty, so you might not need much
reduce the soup on medium heat for 20 minutes to a half hour
stir in cream and return to simmer
stir in the rest of the potatoes and celery
10 to 15 minutes later, when the potatoes are tender, add the fish
about 2 minutes later, remove from heat
serve with bread and reserved bacon

Ingredients

1/2 Pound Bacon
5 Large Sweet Potatoes
2 Stalks Celery
2 Small Onions
2 Cuban Peppers
1 Can Chipotles in Adobo
2 Quarts Veggie Stock
1 Pint Cream
1.5 Pounds Fresh White Fish (like halibut, haddock, or cod, diced into one inch squares)

Instructions

separate 1/4 of the diced celery and 1/3 of the diced sweet potatoes and set aside. Cook the bacon in some oil until crispy, remove bacon with a slotted spoon, keeping fat in the pan. set aside. Add to the pan the onions, peppers, and larger portions of sweet potatoes and celery. Cook on high for 10 or so minutes until everything softens and a nice layer of fond (crust) builds up on the bottom of the pan. Add the chipotles and cook another 2 minutes
Turn the heat down slightly and add the stock. Quickly and vigorously scrape the buildup off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. When the soup reaches a boil, check a sweet potato for softness, it should be fork tender by now. With an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. you could use a normal blender for this as well.
Add some salt to taste, the bacon is salty, so you might not need much Simmer the soup on medium heat for 20 minutes to a half hour. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Stir in the rest of the potatoes and celery. 25 minutes later, when the potatoes are tender, add the fish. About 2 minutes later, remove from heat. Serve with bread and reserved bacon.

Notes