Blowfish Corn Chowder With Potato Dumplings

Next up on the blowfish series: Blowfish corn chowder with potato dumplings. Okay, so the only reason I made potato dumplings instead of straight potatoes in this chowder is because I’m really into low waste and had leftover mashed potatoes and tempura batter (which mixed together, makes pretty easy potato dumplings). You can, and should probably use regular potatoes unless you for some reason like extra work or happen to have mashed potatoes on hand—potato dumplings are, of course, absofrickin’lutely delicious so I wouldn’t blame anyone for still making it despite my entreaty to laziness.

This creamy chowder uses a mire poix and herb broth made from the backbones of the blowfish which are (ha) fished out before adding the main ingredients. Soothing, creamy, delicious, it’s a wonderful way to use blowfish. I add the fish pieces at the very end so it doesn’t get too tough or disintegrate. Blowfish actually holds up to cooking pretty well, so generous pieces of blowfish is called for.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons celery, diced (more if you like celery)
• 1/4 cup carrot, diced
• 4 cloved garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup potatoes, diced or 1/2 cup potato dumplings (1/3rd cup mashed potatoes, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons flour)
• 1 pinch thyme
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1 cup blowfish filet, chopped to 1/2 inch pieces
• Blowfish spines that were reserved from filleting
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup cream, half and half, or milk
• 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon powder (optional)

1. If making potato dumplings, combine mashed potatoes, egg, and flour together.
2. In a pot over medium high heat, saute onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in butter until fragrant.
3. Add blowfish spines, water, and potatoes (or drop 1 inch potato dumpling dough one by one) and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes/potato dumplings are done.
4. Remove blowfish spines, add sweet corn, cream/half-and-half/milk, blowfish pieces, thyme, nutmeg, chili powder, dill, bouillon, and bring to a boil.
5. Once the blowfish are fully cooked through, about 5 minutes, serve with dill garnish.