Published in The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook (Rizzoli, 2025) by Julia Blanter, this chowder recipe from The Homeport Restaurant in Menemsha is creamy but light, which makes a refreshing change from chowders thick enough to stand a spoon in. If you can’t find striped bass, use another white fish like cod or haddock; same with the quahogs — cherrystones or littleneck clams make a fine substitution.
Serves 4
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving
- 3 strips bacon, finely diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups clam juice
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- 1 large golden creamer potato, unpeeled, coarsely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup half-and-half
- Kosher salt
- 2 pounds striped bass fillet, skinned and coarsely diced
- 1 cup shucked raw quahogs, chopped
- Leaves of 4 sprigs thyme for garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Oyster crackers for serving
1. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add the bacon, onion, and garlic. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk the flour with ½ cup water in a small bowl until no lumps remain. Add the stock, clam juice, celery, potato, bay leaf, and flour mixture to the saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Pour in the heavy cream and half-and-half, and bring to a simmer.
4. Taste and adjust salt (if the bacon is very salty you may not need any). Add the bass and quahogs to the pan, remove from the heat, and set aside to rest, covered, for 15 minutes. (The bass and clams will cook in the residual heat.)
5. Divide the chowder among individual serving bowls. Garnish with thyme, season with pepper, and top each portion with a knob of butter. Serve oyster crackers on the side.
