New England Cod Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 slices bacon
3 medium carrots, each cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into slices
3 celery ribs, diced (or 1 large fennel bulb, diced)
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into1/2-inch cubes (1 pound)
3 (8 ounce) bottles clam juice
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth (or 1 3/4 cups homemade chicken broth)
1 bay leaf
1 (1 lb) cod fish fillet, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup half-and-half or 1 cup light cream

Preparation

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or saucepot, cook bacon over medium heat until browned. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain; crumble.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat in Dutch oven. Add carrots, celery (or fennel), and onion, and cook until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, clam juice, chicken broth, and bay leaf; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add cod; cook, covered, 2 to 5 minutes until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Carefully stir in half-and-half; heat through. Discard bay leaf. Serve soup with crumbled bacon.