Oven Baked Cod & Sweet Potato Chowder - Creamy & Delicious

It's the season of Christmas trees, hot cocoa, movies, Christmas cards, Christmas pictures, presents, family, waiting in lines, trying to find the perfect gifts, Christmas cookies (yum), and my personal favorite Christmas carols. It is not the best season to get sick. I mean how can a sick person sing Christmas carols... ugh its hard. I should know I have been sick for 2 whole weeks now.You start off strong and by the end of the first verse you are hacking up a lung or holding the coughing at bay as your eyes tear up. Did mention I hate being sick? Welll. I do. I hate it. Its miserable. One of the bright spots over the last few days, however, has been warm comforting soup. So here is my newest soup adventure.... and unlike other soups it starts in the oven. I know it doesn't look like much in the picture above... but it made my throat feel so good. I suspect after a cold day of playing in snow or Christmas caroling it would warm you right up too. 

This was the first time I made this but it was super easy. The original recipe can be found here  but I like my way a bit better. Hahaha. No really I love using fall/winter veg like sweet potatoes. In the spring new red potatoes would be delightful with this cod. The flavor was nice too. The nutmeg and cloves are completely in the background but as a fall/winter soup these specific spices really make the chowder special along side the sweet tender sweet potatoes. Prep time was approx 5 minutes. Cooking time was approx 50 minutes but totally hands off. 

Chowder serves 4 comfortably. 

Ingredients:
12 oz or two very large cod fillets, cubed
3 cups of cubed sweet potatoes, peeled (1 large one)
1 cup hot water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup good white wine
1&1/2 cup large onion, diced
1& 1/2 cup celery & leaves, diced
1/8-1/16 tsp (a pinch) of ground nutmeg
1/8-1/16 tsp (a pinch) of ground cloves
1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) of cold butter, cubed
3/4 tsp dried dill
3 small bay leaves or 1 large one
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic minced
1/2 cup milk, 1% or whatever you have on hand
1/2 cup half and half
1 Tbs all purpose flour
3 Tbs water
1 Tbs dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup frozen peas (keep these in the freezer until you are ready to serve)

Directions: 

1. Combine the ingredients above except milk, half and half, flour, water, and parsley into a large flat baking dish or a pot that is oven & stove safe.  I used 11" x 7" baking dish. A dutch oven would be perfect here. 

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

3. Cover baking dish with foil or a lid and bake for 45 minutes

4. Transfer the baking dish to the stove.... I dumped the soup into a pot. 

5. Combine the Tbs of water and flour together in a cup or bowl and set aside to thicken the soup later.  

6.Add the rest of the ingredients to the chowder and heat through - approx 5 minutes. Add in the flour/water mixture and stir for another 2 minutes. It should start to thicken up pretty quickly. Taste for seasonings.... add more salt or pepper as needed. 

7. A second before you start serving add the peas to the pot. The timing here is important.  The peas bring a bright green grass color to the soup, a freshness in the middle of winter. They also cool the soup down faster (which is great if you have kiddos).  Last, by doing it right before you serve the peas don't get mushy, they hold their shape and their color better. 

8. Serve with crusty bread, rolls, biscuits or crackers. Curl up with a good movie and get comfy cozy (very technical term) with this delicious soup. If you have a sore throat like me.... this should soothe it for awhile at least :) 


To good health and peace wherever you are
From my kitchen to yours!