Tico’s Deconstructed Pan-seared Cod Chowder

Having lived in New England so many years, I have become quite accustomed to the thick creamy white chowder New England is famous for.  There are contests to see whose is the best.  And the best I can guess, is that it is those that use clam juice in its preparation.  The best have a slightly lobster/shellfish aroma to them which is not lost on the backdrop of a velvety light white creamy soup base.  Manhattan red chowders can't come close to capturing that in a subtle way.

We recently joined our daughter and friends at Tico in Washington DC after an exciting Georgetown basketball game at the Verizon center.  Tico is a fun, festive fairly casual restaurant founded by chef Michael Schlow.  Its a great place for post game eating, especially with their hibiscus margaritas, which are simply outstanding.  They should be when the restaurant boasts 88 different types of tequilla!

My wife had the Cod dish, in which chef Schlow deconstructed the New England fish chowder into its fundamental parts.  Each element shone so well because it was separately roasted and flavored.  It was so good, I reverse engineered it at home as best I could.  Thanks for the inspiration, chef Schlow!
2 Russet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2x1/2-inch wide wedges
3 carrots, cut the same size as the potatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp rosemary leaves, crushed or chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 lb bacon, diced
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced in half lengthwise, and then into 4-inch long pieces
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp butter
1-1/2 lb cod fillet

Chowder Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup flour
1 bottle clam juice
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp chopped dill weed

Preheat oven to 425F. Cut the cod into four serving portions.

Toss the potatoes, carrots and the garlic together with the rosemary and olive oil in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.

 Tip veggies out onto a rimmed baking sheet. Shake to form a single layer.

Roast veggies for about 30 minutes, turning once, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large non-stick skillet until just crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel with a slotted spoon. Add leeks to skillet with 2 tablespoons water.

Cook over medium heat until the water evaporates, about 5-8 minutes, turning leeks over once or twice. Continue cooking another 5-8 minutes until the leeks are soft and tender and beginning to brown. Season with the red pepper flakes and remove to a plate.

Cover to keep warm.

While the leeks are cooking, make the sauce by melting the butter in the oil in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk together for about 3-4 minutes, until the mixture emits a nutty aroma. Then whisk in the clam juice, broth and wine. Whisk together and bring to a gentle boil. Season with the dill and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the sauce to thicken - you should achieve a thickness of a nice New England clam chowder. If it is still too thick, thin as needed with a dash more of chicken broth.

Now add butter to skillet and melt throughly. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Add fish fillets and cook over medium-high heat on first side for about 4-5 minutes, until nicely browned.

Cod is a delicate fish that flakes apart easily, so do not move the fish around much at all. Gently flip the fish with a thin fish spatula and cook the second side for about 3-4 minutes, or just until the fish is just cooked through.

Plate the dish by evenly distributing roasted veggies on the bottom of four wide, shallow bowls. Top with leeks, again, evenly distributed. Place a fish portion on top of each bowl, and garnish with bacon.

Now carefully pour the sauce around the edges of the dish and serve immediately.

Serves 4.