Just Add Color!

When I was growing up, there was a belief that if your meal was colorful, it was well balanced.

When you think about it, the idea had some merit... imagine sweet potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, and a serving of protein together on a plate. Pretty balanced, right?

Alternatively, you could also serve that same plate heaped with Gummy Bears and meet the color wheel requirements. Yet you would fail miserably on the balanced-diet front.

Which reminds me of a scene in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.

   Michele: Did you lose weight?

   Romy: Actually, I have been trying this new fat free diet I invented. 
      All I've had to eat for the past six days are gummy bears,
      jelly beans, and candy corns.

   Michele: God, I wish I had your discipline.

Today's chowder is a perfect example of when the concept of colorful food fails... in a good way. It is filled with ingredients that are good for you (ignore the salt pork and butter, okay?) making for a hearty meal with almost no color at all.

“Ayuh,” as we often heard pronounced over steaming bowl of white chowder when we lived in Maine, this is "wicked good."

~ David

Cod Chowder

2 ounces salt pork, diced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups sliced leeks, from 3 large leeks

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups fish or seafood stock

½ pound fingerling potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

leaves from 6 sprigs thyme

2 cups half-and-half

10 ounces cod, or other white fish, cut into 2-inch chunks

Place a 4-quart stockpot over medium heat at add the salt pork. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it is golden and has rendered its fat. Add the butter and leeks; continue cooking over medium heat until the leaked have softened but are not browned.

Add the wine, stock, potatoes, and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. About 12-15 minutes. Add the half-and-half and fish; bring to a boil, then reduce once again to a simmer. Cook until the fish flakes, but is not falling apart - about 5-8 minutes.

Served in heated bowls with bread and a salad.

Serves 4.

Note: While Tucson isn't really close to the ocean, we are lucky to have a source for cod and salmon - White Cane Sockeye Salmon. Randy Houghton and his son, Ian (who happens to hold a PhD in piano performance), can be found at our Tucson Heirloom Farmers Markets selling fish that Randy catches in Alaska, then vacuum packs and freezes for sale at the market.