Thursday, March 22, 2012

New England Chowder!!! (The White One....) ;)

I love chowders!  We've talked about that and we can do a whole cookbook section on chowders the way we go, but my pet peeve is going to a restaurant and they've THICKENED the New England Clam chowder to pasty-consistency....

I don't know why they do that, but this recipe is wonderful, delightful and just chock full of delicious clammy essence. (Kav is CRINGING right now.  Sorry, KAV!!!!!!  Hugs to you, my friend!!!!)

This is your gratuitous Ruthy-pic of the day.... We're selling this litter right now. Isn't he gorgeous?????

Okay, back to FOOD!!!!!


Basic Ingredients:

One large can chopped clams (I get mine at Sam's Club, or use several small cans)
1/2 Large onion or 1 whole smallish onion, chopped
4-6 stalks of celery, chopped  (not minced, but not huge, chunky pieces either)
6-8 potatoes, cut into small pieces
6 Tablespoons butter or Olive oil (most recipes call for butter but the olive oil works perfectly, too)
3 Tablespoons flour
2 Cups Chicken stock  (I use "chicken base" that I buy at Sam's. Follow directions and add to water for your chicken stock
2 cups Heavy Cream
2 cups Milk   (or can use one quart Half-n-half)
Black pepper, as desired

EASY-PEASY DIRECTIONS!

Melt butter or heat oil in large soup kettle
Add chopped celery and onion. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent and celery is soft. Add in flour, mix thoroughly.


Pour in broth and clams. Bring to boil. Add potatoes. Add pepper to taste. Cook until potatoes are done. Add cream and milk. Heat thoroughly.

Serve!


Yes, this will look thinner than your customary chowders you see in lots of places, but it's delicious. And I think more authentic, or that's just my bossy nature.

Yeah.  Probably that!

12 comments:

  1. I forgive you, Ruthy, since you posted that yummy picture of the kitty. I want him!!!!!!! I wonder what Simba would think if I came home with a kitten one day? Would he think ahhhh, a little friend for me or Yum, kitten chowder for dinner tonight!

    Guess what I made at the beginning of the week and am still eating? Corn/Cheese Chowder. I LOVE that stuff! So satisfying. I'm drooling just thinking about the left overs tonight. And who knew there were so many variations of chowder out there in the world?!

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    1. I know, Kav!!!! I'm outside with kids all day with this nice weather, so I can't stop in like I can when we're inside... BUT... I got a new smart phone. Problem is, it's smarter than me.

      So I can't figure it out. But when I can, I'll post from OUTSIDE on my smart phone! Or implode, trying, LOL!

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  2. I'm with Kav on this one, Ruthy! LOL Although I really should be kind and make it for my family since they love clam chowder (this white kind). So thanks for sharing!

    LOL, Kav! My dogs think our cat is something to chase and terrorize. They never have gotten along.

    Glad you're enjoying the corn/cheese chowder!! Anything with lots of cheese in it is good. :)

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    1. You know, I was really stern with out dogs about the cats and the chickens. And because the leader dog behaved, the rest learned to. Isn't that weird? That they have that pack mentality and the alpha dog rules?

      So now the kittens hop into the laundry room with the dogs. And no one dies. ;)

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  3. Thank you for a recipe for REAL chowder! I'm with you on the normal restaurant/canned chowder. It's like eating wallpaper paste compared to what chowder should really be.

    The cat we had for 17 years ruled the house. She was a small cat, declawed, elderly...and the dogs listened to every word she said (and we have big dogs). She'd play with the dog - but only on her terms. When she decided it was time to stop, the dog would just lay down and mope. And whenever we got a new puppy she'd have him (or her) trained in a matter of days.

    Then after KC died we got this new kitten, Maggie-cat. Maggie is a demon cat who thinks she's a dog, even to the point of "barking" at squirrels and other dogs going by. She sleeps like a dog, eats like a dog, plays like a dog. She has the dogs completely confused.

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    1. The Cat That Barked -- there's a children's picture book in that story, Jan!!!! Hurry up and write it so I can read it to my classes!

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    2. I love cats that act like dogs! We've had a couple over the years... Oreo and Tiger. What a hoot they were. Totally different personality than a traditional cat!

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  4. LOL, how cute! I had a cat who walked my son to the bus each day just like a dog. Jan, you can add that to your kids book you write for Kav. :)

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    1. YES!!!! A dog-cat. Missy, put that cat in a book... And I'm reading A House Full of Hope right now and loving it! While I've got the little ones outside, Missy and I curl up on my porch swing!!!! (bought as a present to my little ones with book 3 money! That's "THEIR" swing because the front porch is too close to our country road and they're not allowed out there. Now they can swing with me on the side porch. And Missy. And the dog. "BLUE"... and those darling kids!!!

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    2. Thank you for reading!! The swing sounds wonderful! You're such a good babysitter/grandma.

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  5. Ruthy,
    Great recipe but I have a question. Have you ever tried it with fish stock rather than the chicken?
    My supermarket sells both so I wondered if the fish would increase the seafoody flavor or it. Hmmm - or clam juice.

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    1. Mary, that's a great question. Most chowder recipes I do have a hinted meat in them. Even if they're potato or corn, there's often chicken or beef stock someplace. And the Manhattan has you frying bacon as the first ingredient. Having said that, I bet it would be fine. And the big can of clams has lots of clam juice. I would use clam juice over fish stock, because clams don't taste fishy... they taste seafood-y. But that's just my bossy Ruthy opinion...

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