Kennedy’s chowder supper

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless cod or haddock, cut in large pieces
• 80 g bacon, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 500 g potatoes, small cubes
• 500 ml fish stock or water (2 cups)
• 300 ml milk (1¼ cups)
• 150 ml cream (⅔ cup)
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp salt, adjusted to stock
• Black pepper
• Chopped parsley and crackers to serve

Method

1. Cook bacon in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until its fat renders. Add onion and soften for 5 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, stock and bay. Simmer gently for 15–18 minutes until potatoes are tender.
3. Add milk and cream, heat gently, then add fish. Poach for 5–8 minutes without vigorous boiling, until fish flakes and reaches 63°C / 145°F.
4. Remove bay. Taste before salting, add pepper and parsley, and serve with crackers.

Use fish, not clams, for this particular archival connection.

Ingredients

• 5 oz (140 g) mixed salad leaves
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

Method

1. Wash and dry the leaves thoroughly. Slice the cucumber.
2. Whisk oil, vinegar and mustard in the serving bowl. Season lightly.
3. Add leaves and cucumber immediately before eating and toss until lightly coated.

Dry leaves hold dressing; wet leaves dilute it. Keep the dressing separate until the hot food is ready.

Ingredients

• 150 g dark chocolate
• 120 g butter (½ cup)
• 180 g sugar (scant 1 cup)
• 2 large eggs
• 70 g flour (½ cup + 1 tbsp)
• 25 g cocoa powder (¼ cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 20 cm / 8 in square tin.
2. Melt chocolate and butter gently; cool slightly. Whisk in sugar, then eggs and vanilla.
3. Fold in flour, cocoa and salt just until combined. Spread into the tin.
4. Bake for 22–28 minutes until edges set and a skewer has moist crumbs, not liquid batter. Cool completely before cutting.

Bake the full recipe and serve four small squares after the chowder; save the rest.