SAVOYARD FISH CHOWDER WITH CHANTERELLES, CABBAGE, AND POTATOES

Serves 6 as an appetizer or 3-4 as main dish

The French Alpine countryside has a rich larder that defines the local palate. Potatoes, cabbage, wild mushrooms, superb dairy, mountain fish, smoked meats – all are important parts of their cuisine. In the Savoie, a cook would serve wild trout or carp from the local river. Sadly, neither is in our markets. I suggest instead steelhead trout fillets, which are available locally, or delicate ocean flatfish. The dish is sweetened by tender Savoy cabbage, butter, and crème fraîche. If you’re lucky enough to have a black truffle hanging about, shave it into the sauce for an incredible delight.

1 ¼ lb fillets of delicate ocean flatfish such as sole, sanddabs, flounder, etc., or boneless local steelhead
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ lb chanterelles or hedgehog mushrooms
½ lb creamer potatoes about 1 ½ - 2 inches in diameter – Yellow Finn, Yukon Gold, or German Butterball
1 leek, white part only, diced and rinsed in cold water (about ¼ cup)
2 cups Savoy cabbage cut in 2-inch square pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 oz white wine
6 tablespoons crème fraîche
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
Black pepper, freshly ground

Trim flatfish down the centerline and save trimmings. If using Steelhead, ask your fish monger to remove pin bones and any gray fat. Cut fillets into 1-inch wide pieces, saving any odd shaped bits for broth. Season fillets with ½ teaspoon salt and set aside. Place trimmings in a small saucepan with one cup of water. Clean chanterelles with a small brush and trim off any wet edges and tips of mushroom stems. Add mushroom trimmings to fish scraps and set to simmer. Reduce broth to 4 ounces and strain. Discard scraps. Cut chanterelles into 1-inch wide strips and set aside. Simmer creamer potatoes on low heat in 3 cups water with ½ teaspoon salt until soft and potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. While potatoes are still warm, peel potatoes and discard skins. Slice potatoes into ¼-inch thick slices and set aside. Split leeks lengthwise, then slice on the bias into ½ inch thick pieces. Cut cabbage into 1 ½ -inch squares, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside. Sauté chanterelles, leeks, and cabbage over low heat in a covered shallow sauce pan in 2 tablespoons butter until chanterelles begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, add fish broth, white wine, crème fraîche, potatoes, and fish. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring gently, until fish is cooked and sauce is reduced. Adjust salt if needed. Serve in warm plates, sprinkle with chives, and grind black pepper over the top.

Savoyard fish chowder