New England Fish Chowder

This is so good with Joel’s fresh caught halibut. 2lbs boneless halibut fillets 8 slices of bacon cut into ½” pieces 1 ½ cups chopped onion 1 small diced green bell pepper 1 clove crushed garlic 1 seeded and diced jalapeno 3 cups diced peeled potato 3 teasp salt 2 cups boiling water or low salt fish, clam or chicken broth 3 cups milk 1 cup light cream 1/8 teasp pepper Fresh or dried thyme (4 sprigs fresh or 1 teas dried) Dash cayenne pepper Roux (made with equal parts butter and flour melt ½ stick unsalted butter than add ¼ cup flour and cook slowly until flour taste is gone, this is called the blonde stage, it will bubble for a minute or 2) Make the roux in a heavy bottom stock pot or dutch oven. In a sauté pan cook the diced bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, save and in a small amount of the fat sauté onion, jalapeno bell pepper and garlic. Add this onion mix to the roux along with the potato, boiling water or stock, ½ the fresh thyme or all if you use dried thyme, salt and pepper simmer covered for 10 mins. Cut fillets into 1” chunks add to stock and simmer covered for another 10 minutes. In the meantime warm milk and cream, cayenne and add to stock heat just until bubbles form around the edges check seasoning and add the rest of the fresh thyme. If you want this chowder thicker add wondra being careful not to over cook fish. Great recipe on a cool night…Enjoy!!!