Tommy the Fishmonger’s Opah Chili

Rich and hearty yet lean and healthy, this fish chili is super easy to make! Serve with crackers, top with shredded cheese and fresh diced onions, or spoon onto sandwich buns for a twist on a Sloppy Joe.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground opah*
• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 (16 oz) can white kidney beans
• 1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans
• 1 jar (12-15 oz) salsa of choice
• 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp granulated onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper flake to taste
• 3 cups of water
• Vegetable oil

How to Prepare:

1. Add some vegetable oil to pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add fish to pan followed by the taco seasoning. Stir to ensure all the fish gets coated with seasoning, working to break up any chunks. Once the fish is browned, transfer it to a Dutch oven or similar size pot, or to a slow cooker.
3. Add a little more oil to the hot pan and sauté your diced onion. Once the onion browns and softens, add it to the cooked fish.
4. Next, add the canned beans, salsa, granulated onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flake.
5. Add 3 cups of water, mix everything together, and set your pot over a low heat or your slow cooker to High.
6. Stir chili occasionally to help the flavors come together. It will thicken as it cooks but if you find it getting too thick, simply add a little more water. You may also wish to adjust the seasonings.
7. The chili should take about 2 hours on low if you’re using the stove, or 5-6 hours with a slow cooker.

*The ground opah in this recipe is derived from opah “flank” (abductor / adductor muscle). Ask your fishmonger to grind it for you if don’t have a meat grinder at home. Alternatively, you could use an 80/20 ratio of ground opah flank and ground opah belly.

Products

Opah Abductor

Opah Belly