Lunch: Cobia with New Smyrna Clam Chowder

Ingredients

1/2 cup coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground lavender
1/2 teaspoon meat cure, such as InstaCure number 1
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound pork back fat

Instructions

For the lardo: Mix together the salt, fennel seed, lavender, meat cure, white pepper and nutmeg. Rub the mixture on all sides of the pork fat and place in a plastic, stainless steel or glass container. Cover with plastic wrap, and then foil, and put a heavy plate or lid on top to force out moisture. Refrigerate for 5 days to cure. Remove the plastic wrap and foil, rinse, and pat dry. Let air dry in a bowl for 10 days on a rack in the refrigerator. For the steamed clams: Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and saute until translucent. Add the clams, chile flakes, bay leaves, thyme, some salt and the wine. Cover and steam until the clams open. Cool the cooked clams in the refrigerator; reserve the cooking liquid. Shell the clams and discard the shells. For the chowder: Combine the fish fumet, reserved clam cooking liquid and corn cobs in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes to create the chowder broth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Ladle 4 cups of the broth into a saucepan with the shell beans, roasted corn kernels, potatoes, butter and some salt, black pepper and chile flakes. Cook until reduced and the broth slightly thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and 1 cup of the shelled, cooked clams. For the cobia: Sprinkle the cobia with salt and black pepper. Heat the canola oil in a pan until hot, and then sear the fish, top-side down. When the fish is cooked about halfway through, add the butter, thyme, bay leaves and garlic to the pan. As the butter melts, baste the fish using a large spoon until cooked through. For assembly: Slice the lardo paper-thin with a sharp knife and lay the slices over the seared, hot cobia. The lardo will "melt" over the hot fish. Spoon the clam chowder into the bottom of 6 deep single-serving bowls and top with seared fish.
NotesThis recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.