Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This hearty soup leverages an unsung local species called cusk. It is similar to cod with its sweet, mild flavor and firm texture, making it perfect for chowders. Another product that is abundant, nutritious and harvested in New England waters is seaweed. Here we make use of two types—kelp (also called kombu) and wakame (another type of kelp). Both are used in making traditional Japanese miso soup. For the miso, try a bold red or brown variety (I like Garlic Red Pepper from South River Miso in Franklin County). It is aged longer than white miso and adds depth and warmth when whisked into the pot. Perfect for a winter night.

Serves 6

For the kelp stock:
1 ounce dried kelp (kombu)
8 cups cold water

For the chowder:
3 tablespoons wakame
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 strips bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1½ pounds cusk filet, cut into 2-inch chunks
5 tablespoons red or brown miso, plus more to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

For the stock: Place the kelp and 8 cups water in a large pot. Set the pot over medium heat and cook just below a simmer for 1 hour. The water should not boil or simmer, so keep a watchful eye and adjust the heat accordingly. Remove the kelp and set the stock aside.

For the chowder: Place the wakame in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.

In another large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the fat is rendered and the bacon begins to crisp. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook until the onions turn translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.

Stir in the potatoes and reserved kelp stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10–12 minutes or until the potatoes are just shy of tender. Add the cusk to the pot, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and is beginning to flake apart.

With a ladle, remove about a cup of broth from the pot (try not to take out any potatoes or chunks of fish) and place in a medium bowl. Whisk the miso into this hot broth to dissolve. When no lumps remain, pour the miso mixture back into the pot and gently stir.

Remove the soaked wakame from the water, roughly chop and stir into the chowder. Taste and add more miso, salt and pepper if you like. Serve each bowl topped with a small handful of chopped scallions.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2023 issue as part of a larger story on Undervalued Local Seafood.