Equipment
Ingredients
Stock and Fish
- 1360 g sea bass, whole
- 910 g fish fillets
- 5 g salt
- 2 g thyme, dried leaf
- 1 g cloves, ground
- 1 bay leaf
Vegetables and Base
- 55 g unsalted butter
- 200 g onion, chopped
- 6 celery, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 794 g canned tomatoes
- 236 ml tomato sauce
- 8 g parsley, chopped
- 3½ ml worcestershire sauce
- 1 ml hot pepper sauce
- 1 g curry powder
For Serving
- 2 lemon, wedges
- 15 ml black rum
- 15 ml sherry
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 304 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 469 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 97 mg
- Potassium
- 808 mg
- Calcium
- 111 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 87 mg
- Phosphorus
- 378 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 137 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 40 mg
- Vitamin D
- 6.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.55 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 7.6 mg
- Folate
- 43 mcg
- Water
- 281 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Remove the heads and tails from the sea bass. Discard the tails but keep the heads and the rest of the fish.
Place fish heads, bodies, and fillets into a large kettle. Add enough water to just cover the fish. Add salt, thyme, cloves, and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes at approximately 95°C (203°F).
Strain the liquid into a container and reserve as stock. Discard the fish heads. Remove the skin and bones from the cooked fish and flake the meat into small pieces.
Clean the kettle and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and green pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft.
Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, and curry powder to the kettle. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes at 95°C (203°F).
Pour the reserved fish stock and the flaked fish meat into the kettle. Stir the mixture and simmer for a final 15 minutes at 95°C (203°F).
Ladle the chowder into warm bowls. Serve with lemon wedges, and provide rum, sherry, and extra hot sauce for individual seasoning.
Chef's Notes
- Traditional Bermuda chowder is often served with Gosling's Black Seal Rum and Outerbridge's Sherry Peppers sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the lemon garnish.
Reheating: Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering.
Troubleshooting
Fish meat is mushy or disintegrated
Cause: The fish was simmered too vigorously or for too long in the final step.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Keep the final simmer to a gentle bubble and do not exceed 15 minutes.
Cultural Context
Bermuda Fish Chowder is a quintessential dish of the island, reflecting its maritime heritage and historical trade routes. It's a staple for celebrations, holidays, and everyday meals, often considered the national dish of Bermuda. The addition of dark rum and sherry peppers is a unique Bermudian touch, adding a distinctive local flavor.
