Photo by Travel Information from Antor.org

This delicious fish chowder is considered to be Bermuda's national dish. It differs from American versions of chowder by its dark, rich color and the finely minced quality of the ingredients. A British dish that came over with the first colonists in the mid 1600s, and not an original American dish as commonly thought.

It is different in content, taste, and texture to any New England style fish or clam chowder. It begins with a good stock, rich and flavorful, made from fresh local de-boned fish (with fish heads and tails used). It should not be too watery or over thickened with corn starch or with too much tomato paste. The best recipe use boiled up whole fish carcasses (including the heads).

The chowder is traditionally accompanied by a splash of sherry peppers (ripe and very hot bird peppers marinated in sherry with herbs and spices) and black rum (rum darkened by molasses and a special barrel aging process).

The commercial local version of this condiment (sherry peppers) is made by Bermuda-based Outerbridge Peppers from a secret recipe of sherry wine, carefully selected peppers, and other good things. Royal Navy sailors first made this popular pepper sauce to make their rations more interesting. Long, slow simmering is the key.

Bermuda Fish Chowder Recipe - How To Make Bermuda Fish Chowder

Recipe and photo from the Outerbridge Pepper Company. I slightly adapted this recipe for easier reading.
 

Fish Stock (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large onions, chopped
8 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped*
1 (10-ounce) can beef consomme (stock)
1 cup catsup (ketchup)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
6 carrots, diced
1 (2-ounce) jigger dark rum (perferrably Gosling's Black Seal rum)
4 tablespoons Outerbridge's Original Sherry Pepper Sauce

* To easily prepare the tomatoes, use a sharp knife and cut the tomatoes while still in the can.

Prepare Fish Stock.

In a large frying pan, melt butter and oil together. Briefly sauté onions, celery, garlic, and green peppers until the onions are soft and opaque. Add tomatoes and beef consommé and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Transfer the vegetable mixture to the simmering Fish Stock; add catsup, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, potatoes, and carrots. Simmer chowder very slowly for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning to your taste. Before serving, remove bay leaves.

Serve soup piping hot and pass around Outerbridge’s Original Sherry Peppers Sauce and Gosling’s Black Seal rum (or a similar good quality dark rum) so guests can add a few dashes of each to their bowls of soup.

Makes a large pot of soup.

Fish Stock:
4 quarts water
1 1/2 pounds white fish fillets (Grouper, Wahoo, Halibut, Hake, etc.)
Salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
6 whole cloves or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a large heavy soup pot over medium-high heat, prepare Fish Stock. Place water, fish fillets, salt, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves. Bring just to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer approximately 30 to 45 minutes. NOTE: Skim off any scum that forms on the surface and discard.