My wife and I do not often cook dinner together. She is the baker. And I am the maker.

I am now reminded of the Aztec Two Step song, You Do The Bakin.

Recently, Susan and I made this chowder together and it was delicious.

Quoting Sue Li from The New York Times:

“As easy as it is delicious, this chowder bypasses celery in favor of fennel, which gives the soup a little anise flavor and some extra heft. The vegetables are thinly sliced and cooked together to help speed up the cooking process; using a mandoline can accelerate your prep even more. Half-and-half is a lighter option than heavy cream and helps finish the soup with a little richness. Cod is recommended here (or flounder or halibut, depending on what’s available), but feel free to substitute with shrimp or clams, adjusting cook times as needed. The crushed saltines are flavored with hot paprika, which is a smoky substitute for the bacon that is usually found in a classic chowder.”

For the chowder

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large fennel bulb with some green stems (about 12 ounces), trimmed and sliced (about 4 cups)
• 12 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes (2 to 3), thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 large shallot (4 ounces), thinly sliced
• 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
• 1 pound boneless, skinless cod fillet (or flounder or halibut), cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup half-and-half

For the crackers

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons hot or smoked paprika (We used Old Bay.)
• Kosher salt 
• 12 to 15 saltine crackers

Preparation

Prepare the chowder: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter is foamy, add the fennel, potatoes, shallot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel and shallots are slightly translucent and softened, 4 to 5 minutes. 

Add the clam juice and 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot with a lid, adjust the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. 

While the soup is simmering, prepare the crackers: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl in the paprika and turn off the heat. Lightly crush the saltines into the saucepan in small bite-size pieces and toss to coat in the seasoned butter. Season with salt and set aside. 

Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the cod and half-and-half, raise the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the cod is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Divide the chowder among bowls and top with the seasoned crackers.