Years ago, my husband Jack lived in Gloucester, Massachusetts – a coastal city located north of Boston and famous for its thriving fishing industry, as well as a popular summer destination for tourists. During that time, Jack often ate at a restaurant called Halibut Point Restaurant & Bar, named after its proximity to Halibut Point State Park – a granite quarry with breathtaking views that overlook the Atlantic Ocean.
Halibut Point, the restaurant, was a casual, local hangout and the perfect place to enjoy some great outdoor dining with friends. On the menu was the most delicious Italian Fish Chowder that Jack absolutely fell in love with – so much so that his usual meal was a cup of this fantastic chowder along with fried calamari and hot peppers.
Jack, to this day, still dreams about that Italian fish chowder (Gloucester is about a two hour drive from where we live now, so unfortunately, we don’t get up there very often!) and he recently set out to recreate it at home. It’s a super delicious chowder with a spicy (but not too spicy) tomato base flavored with onions, peppers and celery plus tender chunks of halibut (or cod) and potatoes.
Served with some warm, crusty bread, this Italian fish chowder is a taste of coastal New England in a bowl! I can totally understand why Jack loves it so much – and we’re sure you will love it too!
PrintItalian Fish Chowder
The restaurant that inspired this recipe served grated Parmesan cheese at the table, but Jack always passed on it because he likes the clean taste of the fish and tomato. You may however put some freshly grated Parmesan on your chowder if you prefer. Also this chowder is traditionally made without potatoes. If you omit the potatoes, cook the chowder for about ten minutes instead of twenty, then add two full pounds of fish instead of the pound and a quarter.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely diced salt pork (rinse all visible salt before dicing)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/3 cup diced celery
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- Big pinch red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dry oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
- 3/4 pound peeled, diced new red potatoes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 4 cups strong fish stock or 4 cups bottle clam juice with one teaspoon clam base or any other strong stock such as lobster or shrimp
- 1 28–ounce can crushed tomato (we like Cento)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/4 pounds fresh cod or halibut cut into one inch chunks.
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Place salt pork and olive oil in a medium to large heavy bottomed pot. Cook over medium high heat until the salt pork is rendered and slightly brown.
- Add onions, peppers and celery and sauté three to five minutes or until celery is tender. Add garlic and sauté one more minute.
- Add red pepper, thyme, oregano, parsley and diced potatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half.
- Add fish stock, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper and stir.
- Reduce to medium and cook about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning then add the fish. Gently stir and cook over medium heat for about two to three minutes or until fish is cooked through. Do not stir too much or you will break apart the fish.
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awesome lived in gloucester and now that halibut point is closed i miss this dish so so much thank you
Glad you enjoyed the chowder Elizabeth!
Thank you, I graduated from Rockport High in 1980 and went to many of the great restaurants in the Cape Ann Area. The Halibut Point restaurant had the best Manhattan fish chowder that I’ve ever had to this day. It was such a great comfort food. This recipe came out wonderfully and took me back. Thank you again.
Thank you Ed
Loved the whole North Shore. Took many a swim in the Halibut Point Quarries as well as the visiting the great art center in Rockport (I think it was called Bear Skin Neck).
Jack
Dear Martha and Jack
I just want to tell you that I absolutely love your recipes – I have made quite a few and each one has been a hit!
Thanks for all you do and thanks for all your inspiration and wonderful hints and tips that you add with the recipes
I live in the caribbean and if ever you visit I would absolutely be delighted to cook a meal for you.
Once again thanks for your culinary delights.
warm regards always
Arti
Thank you so much Arti! (We greatly appreciate the invitation!) 🙂 So glad you enjoying the recipes and thank you for taking the time to let us know.
Martha & Jack
i love this Italian fish chowder , i have it written down with a few of my own changes , as i dont always have the right ingredients but i use it often , its very good if your trying to lose weight and fool the family too , i just out in less potatoes and add so add some fennel , great way to use up the stock in my freezer , thank you from London !
You’re very welcome Camilla!
I am allergic to shellfish. What can I use that is strong in flavor other than clam ,shrimp or lobsters juice
Hi Jody – We’d suggest a vegetable broth (homemade would be the most flavorful) rather than using a chicken, beef or ham stock which would introduce a meat flavor to the soup. We have a homemade broth recipe here: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/vegetable-broth/
Hi! So could you mix chicken stock with clam juice ? Or you require 4 cups worth of it? I don’t have ‘fish stock’
Looking forward to trying
Hi James – I’d suggest starting with 5+ cups of bottled clam juice and simmering it down to 4 cups so the flavors are intensified. You can use chicken stock in a pinch, but the finished chowder won’t have the same seafood flavor as if you used clam, fish, lobster, or other seafood stock.
Hi Martha, I love this red fish chowder, and also love the idea of a family feast. I agree, good food served up and shared with friends and family go great together and something I really look forward to.
Waving at you from across the Atlantic in County Donegal Ireland.
Waving back Siobhan! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed the chowder!
Excellent recipe….. Loved it, Family loved it………….
Thanks Donna – so glad the recipe was a hit!
How far ahead can I make this? Can clams be added or used in place of cod/halibut?
Hi – If you need to make this ahead of time, I’d suggest preparing the recipe only up to the point before you add the seafood. Then the day of serving, reheat the broth and add the fish to cook through. (Also, keep the seafood in a bowl on ice in the refrigerator to keep it extra cold and fresh.). You can certainly adapt this by adding additional or different seafood like clams. Enjoy!
Thank you . One more question…is there anything that can be substituted for the salt pork, or can it be eliminated altogether?
It can be left out – it does add some flavor but feel free to adjust the seasonings as you’d like.
2 years and at least 30 batches of this recipe (usually doubled) I think I can give this a thumbs up. I live in Gloucester and frequent Halibut Point. I consider myself a hack in the kitchen but make up for it with an unlimited supply of fresh fish. Your recipe is spot on! I make my stock with haddock or cusk and the stew the same. Cusk makes the best stews in my opinion. Give it a try if you haven’t all ready. Thank you for figuring out this recipe. It’s always been a well guarded secret and I never came close on my own……
So glad you enjoyed our recipe Brian! Jack and I were both saying that we’ll need to try using cusk the next time we make this chowder – thanks for the suggestion! Have a great rest of the weekend and thank you for taking the time to write to us! Martha