Quick fish chowder

Pack a lot of taste into a bowl of Fish Chowder without spending all day at the stove!

Quick Fish Chowder

Butter
2 onions, chopped
3 - 4 slices of bacon, cut into big pieces
2 t fresh thyme
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper
4 - 5 c water
2 lbs whitefish fillets (we used haddock), skins removed
1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
2 c milk (whole preferred)
1 T cornstarch

Cook the onions and bacon in a bit of butter in a Dutch oven.  Do not brown the onions.  Add the thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and place the fish in the water.  Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.  Remove the fish and set aside.  Strain out the bacon and discard.

Return the pot to a simmer and add the potatoes, cooking until they are fully cooked and even are beginning to break apart.  Mash them in the pot a bit.  Whisk the cornstarch into the milk and add to the pot, returning to a simmer.  Add the fish, broken up into bite-sized pieces.  Let the pot stand on low heat for a few minutes.  Serve immediately.