Lake trout are abundant, fun to catch, and, contrary to popular belief, make for great eating. If handled and prepared properly, the meat is mild and flakey without a trace of “fishiness.” While it can be cooked a million different ways, the firm meat makes it a great candidate for a chowder because it doesn’t fall apart when cooked, and the almost eggy flavor of the meat complements the creamy broth.
Here’s an easy-to-make chowder recipe using lake trout for us inland anglers who can’t get their hands on some fresh clams. So, the next time you jig or troll up a few lakers, put them on ice and give this recipe a try.
Ingredients
-
1 lake trout fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
-
3 strips of bacon, roughly chopped
-
2-3 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
-
1 onion, diced
-
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch cubes
-
2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
-
2 leeks, thinly sliced
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 Tbsp. parsley, roughly chopped
-
2 tsp. sage, roughly chopped
-
2 tsp. thyme
-
2 tsp. rosemary, roughly chopped
-
2 bay leaves
-
1 Tbsp. salt
-
¼ cup all-purpose flour
-
1 cup white wine
-
2 cups chicken or game-bird stock
-
2 cups heavy cream
-
2 cups half and half
-
Chopped chives for garnish
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
Directions
-
Clean the fish, removing the head and gills. Then fillet and debone the fish, and remove the skin.
-
Render the bacon in a large pot, then add the vegetables, bay leaves, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook this for a few minutes then add the flour and stir it into the mix.
-
Deglaze the pot with the wine, then add the remaining ingredients, including the lake trout meat.
-
Simmer the chowder, stirring occasionally, for about an hour or until it has thickened.
-
Serve in a bread bowl (optional), and garnish with chives.
THE 1871 CLUB
