Serves 6

There are several layers in this dish that all add up to turn into a very delicious dish.

Ingredients:

• ½ pound salt pork, in ¼ – inch cubes
• 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 16 – ounce can tomatoes or 5 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• ½ cup each ketchup and chili sauce
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt, to taste, if desired
• 1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 green or red sweet peppers, in ¼ – inch dice
• 2 pounds fillet of grouper, sea bass, drum or red snapper, Cut into 1- inch pieces
• ½ pound unsalted crackers (or saltines will do)
• 4 or 5 cups fish stock or clam juice, approximately
• 1 cup dry sherry or white wine

Preparation:

You must note that the first 12 ingredients will all be cooked into a thick sauce to add on to the layers.

Render the fat from the salt pork in a pan, do this until it becomes brown and crisp. This will take about eight minutes. Do not let this burn, then lift the pork cracklings out with a spoon. Then pour out the fat and discard.

Then saute the onions in a pot over medium heat until it is well cooked and soft. This will take about ten minutes. Do not let it burn.

Add in the chopped tomatoes, the ketchup, the tomato paste, the chili sauce, the Tabasco sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, the thyme, the bay leaves, and the lime juice. Stir this well to blend. Then cook it all over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add salt if you so wish.

While the sauce is cooking, peel the potatoes and then slice it thinly, at this same time, slice the peppers.

In a medium pan, add in this order : layers of fish, raw potatoes, sweet peppers, 12 or so crackers, and lastly the tomato mixture.

Then add the stock or clam juice so that you have added 1 inch to the top layer. Let this simmer for about two hours. When the chowder is almost done, add the sherry or the wine.

Now you are ready to serve. Pour the chowder into large bowls. Serve with some salad and perhaps some fruit for a nice display!