It was created popular at Firehouse Station No. 2 in Madison, Wisconsin, and is a fantastic, healthful, and simple chili. Include cornbread johnnycakes with your meal.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 50 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
- ½ cup sliced shallots
- salt
- ¾ cup white wine
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
- 1 pound baby red potatoes, trimmed
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound boneless rockfish filets, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir leek, shallots, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the melted butter until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir wine into leek mixture, increase heat to medium, and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Mix fennel and potatoes into leek mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are nearly tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add cream and stir to combine.
- Stir fish and tarragon into soup, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir gently, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- If you can’t find rockfish, red snapper, or any other white fish works well in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 382 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 30 g |
| Cholesterol | 79 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Sodium | 736 mg |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
These are ingredients I don’t use often but they gel together beautifully! This is the third time I have made this. I have used both tilapia and cod- both delicious! I accidentally didn’t add the shallots this time until I added the anise- no worries! As Chef John said your timing doesn’t have to be “precise”!
Fantastic and easy. Made it 3 times now and the family is always thrilled. Even my toddler loves it. Used Cod the last two times and it works very well.
Excellent recipe! Thank you, Chef John. Used three cups of chicken broth and had to substitute basil for tarragon—fabulous, nonetheless!
Amazing, delicious, easy recipe. A strong recommend!
The recipe was delicious and we loved it with Red Snapper!Two challenges I had were the pan I used was a 12” skillet and it was way too crowded with all of the potatoes and had barely enough room for the fish. Next time I will only use 1/2 to 3/4 of a Lb of potatoes. Then the potato cooking time was much more that then stated. I used mini purple potatoes since the store didn’t have fingerling potatoes and they were equivalent in size in my experience. Great recipe and awesome flavors.
Made without cream since the cardiologist put me on a low fat diet; but it’s excellent anyway. I agree with the person that added red pepper flakes. I don’t like really hot spice but could hardly taste the cayenne, so more of that or red pepper would add a little more zip. Good stuff though!!!
My boyfriend loved this. I found this a tiny bit bland (but i tend to like strong flavors), so more of a 4 star in my book, but since he was such a big fan, I think it makes up for it. Super easy, and I’m sure next time I can add some spices to make it more interesting.
Delicious! I didn’t have leeks – so I substituted yellow onion. I also didn’t have fennel or tarragon. So I substituted with fresh dill and thyme. Turned out super good!
Fantastic! The only thing I changed was the fish because rockfish was not available. I used cod! Delicious and a new favorite. Thanks!
I made it exactly according to the recipe, although I put in more than 1 pound of the rockfish just because I had it on hand. This was very easy to make and OUTSTANDING!
I catch fresh Alaskan rockfish every year and there are other good recipes in this site that are good for sure but this is the only one that has earned the title of sexy. It takes longer to make than the directions suggest; perhaps it was just me. I used a BV chardonnay and i would suggest a white wine with some strength and character. A light pinot gris will have no effect. Use a big white. Follow the instructions as given and you wont be disappointed. I used two pinches of cayenne and my kids and wife enjoyed the warmth without being hot. The heavy cream provides good cover.
Didn’t have any wine or fennel but made it anyways. Used fish stock and adjusted the seasonings a bit….turned out pretty good! Will definitely make again.
This might be the best thing I have ever made from Allrecipes. There are no modifications needed outside of doubling the recipe. It’s delicious!
Creamy and delicious recipe that is quick and easy to prepare. Replaced the rockfish with catfish. Replaced the fennel bulb with 1/2 tablespoon of fennel seeds as indicated by another reviewer. Replaced the heavy cream with coconut milk. Otherwise, followed the recipe as written, and it comes out wonderfully.
The first time I made this was when I was looking for recipes to use some leeks I had bought. Now, we keep it in our rotation of fish recipes because we enjoy it so much! It is a simple recipe, simple enough for family dinner, but unique and flavorful enough to also make a nice dish for company. Definitely give this recipe a try!
Delicious! I had to improvise on the fennel and whipping cream, used oregano and aromat, and half and half, added power greens. Will definitely use this recipe again.
Sensational results but simple to make even if you’re not all that handy in the kitchen. Don’t skip any of the steps and it’s helpful if you do the chopping prep (besides the fish) before you begin cooking. Only changes were 2 small cloves of garlic & dried tarragon with the potatoes and fennel, and fresh dill instead of fresh tarragon as I couldn’t find any. Made this for a Friday Lent dinner and huge hit. Will make again.
I did not add the whipping cream, to avoid lactose, so I put in two tablespoons of coconut oil and some added liquid and I added a sprinkling of aleppo pepper and some smoked paprika. It came out very well.
I really liked this recipe but my kids and wife did not. We all have pretty diverse palettes but this just didn’t sit right with them. I used frozen cod that was a little chewy so maybe that was their issue.
I made this exactly as the recipe stated and it was amazing. Not only will I make it again but will forward to many friends, I have to admit I drank the rest of the wine.
I just love fennel and Chef John, so this recipe was a must try. Delicious with a nice piece of haddock. My husband loved it.