I’ve been corrected a number of times for using the term “rockfish” to describe striped sea bass. I will also make note that none of these people were from the Chesapeake Bay area. Here, striped sea bass are called rockfish, namely for their tendency to congregate on rocky structures. Regardless of what you call them, they are one of the most important game fish in America, and through their tumultuous recent history, they’ve become a symbol of conservation failure, success, and then decline. They're also extremely tasty.

These anadromous fish are hard-fighting and excellent table fare. Their flesh is semi-firm with large flakes, very similar to a redfish. Because they're not extremely delicate, they hold up to just about any cooking method—grilled, baked, fried, steamed, or stewed. Chowder is a staple preparation for rockfish in my kitchen. It’s a rich and filling dish that is easy to make and is a perfect warm meal after running a boat around the bay in the fall.

You can make this chowder with any semi-firm or firm fish, and you can substitute the smoked goose for any salty smoked game meat, country ham, or bacon. However, I tend to shy away from using bacon in this chowder, because it makes the whole dish taste like bacon. It’s not a bad thing, but the striped bass is subtle enough in flavor that I’d rather not mask it.

Preparation is straightforward: get some color on the smoked meat, sweat the veggies, cook it all in flour, then add stock, aromatics, and the fish. I like to sear the fish separately and add it towards the end, to finish, which adds some texture and color to the overall dish. It also helps to keep the fish from falling completely apart in the chowder. If using a denser fish such as swordfish or monkfish, add a few additional minutes of cooking time for the fish to tenderize.