Not quite a soup, New England fish chowder is known for its succulent large chunks of seafood and vegetables coated in a thin, milky broth. Traditionally this is made with cod; however, tilapia, flounder, or any other white fish will work fine. You can even use fillets directly from the freezer without defrosting them first. The fish will break into pieces as it cooks, or you can break it up while serving. Add any type of fresh or frozen seafood, such as crab or shrimp, or eight ounces of corn kernels for an even heartier meal. The type of milk used will affect how thick the broth is. Choose skim, 2 percent, whole, soy, rice, almond, or even heavy cream to suit your preference. To quickly remove the stems of chard (and other leafy greens like kale), hold the sides of the leaves together in one hand and use the other to rip the stem from the bottom of the leaf. Chard stems can be bitter. By chopping the stems finely and placing them on the bottom of the pot, they will have the opportunity to brown slightly and lose most of their bitterness.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2

　　Canola oil spray

　　4 Swiss chard leaves, red or green

　　2 medium red potatoes, halved and sliced

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1/2 to 3/4 pound white fish fillets (cod, flounder, tilapia, etc.)

　　14 ounces clams, shelled (fresh, frozen, or canned)

　　3 or 4 mushrooms, thinly sliced

　　2 tablespoons milk

　　1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

　　

Step 2

Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with canola oil.

　　

Step 3

Separate the chard leaves and stems. (See headnote.) Mince the stems especially fine and spread across the bottom of the pot. Coarsely chop the leaves and reserve.

　　

Step 4

Scatter the potatoes in the pot and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish on top of the potatoes.

　　

Step 5

Drain the clams, reserving the liquid. (Frozen clams will not need to be drained.) Add the clams to the pot and top with the mushrooms.

　　

Step 6

In a small bowl, combine the milk, Old Bay Seasoning, the liquid from the clams, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the pot.

　　

Step 7

Pack in the chard leaves until the pot is full but the lid will still fit tightly. Cover and bake for 35 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

　　

nutrition information

Step 8

Calories: 255

　　

Step 9

Protein: 37g

　　

Step 10

Carbohydrates: 18g

　　

Step 11

Fat: 3g

　　

Step 12

Cholesterol: 77mg

　　

Step 13

Sodium: 155mg

　　

Step 14

Fiber: 2g

　　Glorious One-Pot Meals