| Clam Chowder | ||||||||||
| So there we were at the Longbranch after the MEE Memorial reception, the Taylors, the Krauses and the Klebers, and we were brainstorming new ideas for Susie Taylor’s new publication. “There are so many fine cooks in town,” say I. “Why don’t you write a column focusing on a different cook each month and include a recipe that they are noted for. Why the article will practically write itself.” “You’re on.” says Taylor. “Could you have it ready by the 24th?”
I still think this is a fun idea. What cook doesn’t appreciate the compliment of being asked for the recipe? But before I ask Rita Martin for her apricot pie recipe or tap Sharon Casey for the key to her barbeque beans, I’m going to share a favorite recipe of mine that always gets a warm welcome. Sue Kleber |
Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a heavy dutch oven size pot. Finely chop 1 medium yellow onion, 2 stalks of celery and half a red or green pepper. Add to the butter and slowly sauté until limp but not brown. Add 1 tsp. dried thyme and 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram, a few turns of black pepper and _ tsp. kosher salt and sauté a few additional minutes. / Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook gently for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring often. You want to cook away the raw taste of the flour, but you don’t want to brown it. Add 3 cups of chicken stock. (I prefer Swanson’s chicken broth packaged in a 32 oz. carton over the canned variety) Add 3 cups of whole milk and two cups of diced unpeeled red or Yukon gold potatoes, 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning and 1/2 tsp. dried dill (the dill is optional) and cook over a very low flame, stirring often, until the potatoes are done. Be forewarned that this scorches very easily. When the potatoes are tender, add 2 6 1/2 ounce cans of chopped or minced clams with the juice if it isn’t too salty and 2 tablespoons of minced Italian parsley. If you like a thicker chowder mix some corn starch with cold water or broth and thicken to your liking. If I can get fresh clams, I steam them separately and put two or three in each bowl of chowder. Fresh clams can sometimes be very salty, so I always cook them separately. This chowder is twice as good if made a day ahead of serving and refrigerated overnight. Soup is such a fun thing to cook that I make some variation of this recipe almost every week. You can make wonderful cream of mushroom soup by adding 1/2 pound of sliced mushrooms to the sautéing vegetables and omit the potatoes and the clams. I make cream of broccoli with two cups of finely minced broccoli and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan or romano cheese. For great leek and potato soup, add two leeks to the sautéing vegetables and grate a russet or Idaho potato into the broth and cook until the potato disintegrates. Especially when the weather is cold and wet, I don’t think any other food says “I love you, baby” better than hot homemade soup. It’s a message we should all hear more often. |
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Courtesy of:
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Real Estate & Living
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www.somocorealestate.com
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