The Hot Flash DietTM recipe for December 2024 has a festive feel despite its simple preparation. It is especially good when your fish market sells mix of fish ends or if you’ve found fish lingering in the freezer a bit long. You can substitute canned clams for a red clam chowder instead. According to TCM, the thermal property of the white fishes mentioned below is “neutral and that of clams is “cold.” Except for the “warm” onion and garlic, the added vegetables and herb range from “neutral” (potatoes) to “cold” (tomatoes). The overall effect is “cooling” for those with hot flashes.
You can pre-make the soup base, reheating and adding the fish or clams right before the meal. Once simmering, the fish chunks will cook in 5-10 minutes and canned clams heated in 1 minute.
2 TBSP avocado oil or olive oil
1 to 2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
½ onion, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
16 oz. of clam juice or fish stock or 2 cups water with 2 tsp of fish or clam bouillon added
14 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 TBSP tomato paste (from that tube you keep in the fridge, remember?)
1 large potato, diced into ½ to ¾ inch pieces
1 TBSP fresh marjoram or oregano, or 1 tsp dried
¼ tsp sea salt if using bouillon up to ¾ tsp if using clam juice, plus more to taste
12 oz. of flaky white fish like cod, haddock, or pollock, cut into bite-size pieces
OR 2- 6.5 oz. cans of chopped clams
Using a large saucepan, sauté the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic over medium heat. When the onions are translucent, add the clam juice or stock, tomato products, diced potato, herbs, and salt. (Pour any clam juice slowly so no gritty sediment ends up in the soup.) Stir occasionally while heating until the potato is cooked.
Add the fish chunks or clams and simmer over low heat until the fish is cooked, or the clams heated, then serve. “Anoint” with olive oil before serving with bread and salad. Your family may add red pepper flakes at the table if they want some spiciness.
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