We had this fabulous chowder on New Year’s day, making use of two different kinds of leftover seafood.

Every spring, after lovingly making the fish stock (we call it “yuch”) in which we cook the Pesach gefilte fish, I strain it and freeze it, hoping to find a use for it. Typically, the following year, I throw it away. And so, last spring’s fish stock was still sitting in my freezer this New Year’s, when we happened to have a quantity of left-over sashimi-grade fish. We had sushi for New Year’s eve. (Which, by the way, was delicious, if not visually perfect.)

Unfortunately, this chowder was fabulous—because I’m not sure if I’ll ever again have these key ingredients.

Fish Chowder (all measurements are approximate—just taste as you go)

• 3-4 quarts fish stock (click to see our recipe for gefilte fish and the yuch, or broth)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 c. fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 c. packed chopped fresh parsley
• 1 28 oz can tomatoes, chopped
• thyme, salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 c. fresh tuna and/or salmon, cut into small chunks

Saute the onion in the olive oil. Add the celery, carrots, potato and bay leaves. Stir for about a minute, then add the fish stock, spinach, parsley, tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer until the vegetables are soft, about an hour. Right before serving add the fish. Don’t let it cook for more than 4-5 minutes so that the fish will be nice and flaky.

Two large bags of gefilte fish stock had been waiting patiently in my freezer.