Fish Chowder, Bermuda Style

Ingredients

• 3 pounds sea bass
• 2 pounds any other fish fillets
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried leaf thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 onions
• chopped
• 6 ribs celery
• chopped
• 1 green pepper
• chopped
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• Lemon wedges
• Dark rum and sherry

Instructions

1. Remove heads and tails of sea bass.
2. Discard tails.
3. Place heads, fish bodies and fillets in large kettle.
4. Add water just to cover, salt, thyme, cloves and bay leaf.
5. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
6. Strain, reserving stock.
7. Discard heads; remove skin and bone from fish and flake the fish.
8. In large kettle melt butter; add onions, celery and green pepper.
9. Cook until tender.
10. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and curry.
11. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
12. Add reserved fish stock and flaked fish.
13. Simmer 15 minutes.
14. Serve in heated soup bowls, adding a squeeze of lemon juice, a dash or two each of rum and sherry and additional hot pepper sauce to taste to each serving.