Cobia With New Smyrna Clam Chowder

Serves: 3

Eloise Gerhold

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

46

Spice

51

Sweetness

58

Sourness

42

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.9

Difficulty

Ingredients:

5 cloves

Garlic (smashed)

2270 g

Clam (live)

6 sprigs

Thyme (fresh)

1 cup

Bean (shell)

3 tbsps

Unsalted Butter

1 cup

Canola Oil

Directions:

1

For the lardo: Mix together the salt, fennel seed, lavender, meat cure, white pepper and nutmeg

2

Rub the mixture on all sides of the pork fat and place in a plastic, stainless steel or glass container

3

Cover with plastic wrap, and then foil, and put a heavy plate or lid on top to force out moisture

4

Refrigerate for 5 days to cure

5

Remove the plastic wrap and foil, rinse, and pat dry

6

Let air dry in a bowl for 10 days on a rack in the refrigerator

7

For the steamed clams: Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat

8

Add the garlic and shallots and saute until translucent

9

Add the clams, chile flakes, bay leaves, thyme, some salt and the wine

10

Cover and steam until the clams open

11

Cool the cooked clams in the refrigerator; reserve the cooking liquid

12

Shell the clams and discard the shells

13

For the chowder: Combine the fish fumet, reserved clam cooking liquid and corn cobs in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes to create the chowder broth

14

Strain through a fine mesh strainer

15

Ladle 4 cups of the broth into a saucepan with the shell beans, roasted corn kernels, potatoes, butter and some salt, black pepper and chile flakes

16

Cook until reduced and the broth slightly thickens, about 10 minutes

17

Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and 1 cup of the shelled, cooked clams

18

For the cobia: Sprinkle the cobia with salt and black pepper

19

Heat the canola oil in a pan until hot, and then sear the fish, top-side down

20

When the fish is cooked about halfway through, add the butter, thyme, bay leaves and garlic to the pan

21

As the butter melts, baste the fish using a large spoon until cooked through

22

For assembly: Slice the lardo paper-thin with a sharp knife and lay the slices over the seared, hot cobia

23

The lardo will "melt" over the hot fish

24

Spoon the clam chowder into the bottom of 6 deep single-serving bowls and top with seared fish