It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
much as I did.

New England Clam Chowder
Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_

Makes 12 main-course servings
or 16 first-course servings

There is probably no other dish native to New England about which New
Englanders disagree more. No one is certain who first came up with the
idea of cooking seafood in milk, but it seems likely that the
combination arrived in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century with
settlers from Old England. There always has been debate about how to
properly thicken a clam chowder, and we agree with those who refuse to
use flour, since it tends to neutralize the pungency of the clams. Our
recipe depends on both diced and grated potatoes, which not only
thicken the soup naturally but add a flavor of potato to every
mouthful, complementing the clams perfectly.

SEASONING MIX

1 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/4teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 pound salt pork, diced (see Note)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups clam liquid (can be bottled clam juice), in all
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
4 cups milk
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
2 cups heavy cream
4 dozen shucked hard-shell clams, with their liquid
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt, optional (see Note)

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Makes
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.

Place the salt pork in a large heavy pot (not cast iron) over high
heat, cover, and cook until the pork is sticking hard to the bottom of
the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the grated potatoes, the onions, bell
peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning
mix. Scrape the bottom of.the pot well, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add
3 cups of the clam juice, scrape the pot bottom clean, and cook,
scraping the bottom of the pot often, about 13 minutes. Stir in the
remaining 1 cup clam juice, scrape the crust from the bottom of the
pot, and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook,
scraping the pot bottom occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the
remaining seasoning mix and cook, whisking constantly to break up the
potatoes and release their starch to thicken the chowder, 4 minutes.
Stir in the milk and bring just to the boiling point, then add the
diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and
cook, uncovered, scraping often, until the potatoes are tender, about
20 minutes. Watch the pot closely: If the soup begins to bubble too
much, reduce the heat, so the milk won't curdle. Add the remaining 3
tablespoons butter and the heavy cream and whip with the whisk. Scrape
the bottom of the pot, stir, turn up the heat a bit, and cook just
until the soup begins to bubble gently. Add the clams, cook 1 to 2
minutes, and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and salt, if
necessary. Makes about 16 cups.

Serve the chowder in deep soup bowls with crusty bread.

NOTE: Salt pushes the flavors of the other seasonings in this dish.
Because salt pork differs depending on where it's processed, yours may
be saltier or less salty than ours. If it comes thickly encrusted with
salt, rinse some of it off and pat dry before dicing. Taste the chowder
at the end, and, if necessary, add salt cautiously until the flavor is
just right.

Derek's notes:

I added 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and 1 teaspoon dried Aleppo red
pepper flakes to seasoning mix. I used bacon instead of salt pork,
sauteeing the onion/celery/bell pepper in some of the bacon fat. I
used grated Russet potato, and diced Yukon Gold potato. I used canned
clams instead of live.

Derek Juhl

wrote:
> It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it
> as much as I did.
>
> New England Clam Chowder
> Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
(snipped recipe)
> Derek Juhl

Glad it turned out so well. I definitely love a good NE clam chowder.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
> > It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it
> > as much as I did.
> >
> > New England Clam Chowder
> > Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
> (snipped recipe)
> > Derek Juhl
>
> Glad it turned out so well. I definitely love a good NE clam chowder.

Jill

Mmmm me too. And I never add flour to my soup or chowder - seems like
cheating to me plus and don't like the taste. I also use canned clams,
having had fresh clams on several occasions, I always get the ones that
still have sand in them. God, I hate that!

E.

wrote:

> It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
> much as I did.
>
> New England Clam Chowder
> Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_

I read this recipe and, frankly, got a laugh out of it. While
Prudhomme is a most impressive cook and I'm sure this is wonderfully
tasty, he has gilded this lily to conceptual incomprehensibility. This
recipe is from the "if 5 ingredients are good, 25 are better." And "If
one complex process is good, 6 are better."

It's a peeve of mine to see people so drastically mess with an
essentially classic recipe and technique package and still retain the
old name. This is not New England clam chowder.

In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially cream of potato
soup with clams in it, with small local variations. This Prudhomme
recipe is cajun or creole "New England clam chowder." Clams most
frequently used are quahogs (pronounced coh-hogs for some reason. Like
the geoducks of the northwest pronounced gooey-ducks. Clams take a hit
in the phonetics department.) which are large. They're chopped into
rather small bits, both to release more flavor and because it would be
like chewing a running shoe otherwise.

Here's a NECC note from Pat Solley who probably knows more about soup
than any living soul. <http://www.soupsong.com/rclam1.html> Three
recipes (sorta), one rhyming. Note that flour is used as part of a
roux or as ground ship's biscuits. Relatively common way of
thickening. The other major way is to do a two-stage cook with
potatoes. Cook half (in stock or broth) until they literally fall
apart and then add the remaining ingredients. The first batch of spuds
is for thickening.

Canned clams work as well as or even better than fresh in this.
They're already cooked, have rendered their juice which should be
incorporated into the soup, and are tender.

Pastorio

> Makes 12 main-course servings
> or 16 first-course servings
>
> There is probably no other dish native to New England about which New
> Englanders disagree more. No one is certain who first came up with the
> idea of cooking seafood in milk, but it seems likely that the
> combination arrived in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century with
> settlers from Old England. There always has been debate about how to
> properly thicken a clam chowder, and we agree with those who refuse to
> use flour, since it tends to neutralize the pungency of the clams. Our
> recipe depends on both diced and grated potatoes, which not only
> thicken the soup naturally but add a flavor of potato to every
> mouthful, complementing the clams perfectly.
>
> SEASONING MIX
>
> 1 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
> 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
> 1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
> 1 1/4teaspoons garlic powder
> 1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
> 1 1/4 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
> 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
> 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
> 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
>
> 1/2 pound salt pork, diced (see Note)
> 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
> 1 cup chopped onions
> 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
> 1 cup chopped celery
> 4 cups clam liquid (can be bottled clam juice), in all
> 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
> 4 cups milk
> 4 cups diced peeled potatoes
> 2 cups heavy cream
> 4 dozen shucked hard-shell clams, with their liquid
> 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
> Salt, optional (see Note)
>
> Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Makes
> 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
>
> Place the salt pork in a large heavy pot (not cast iron) over high
> heat, cover, and cook until the pork is sticking hard to the bottom of
> the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the grated potatoes, the onions, bell
> peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning
> mix. Scrape the bottom of.the pot well, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add
> 3 cups of the clam juice, scrape the pot bottom clean, and cook,
> scraping the bottom of the pot often, about 13 minutes. Stir in the
> remaining 1 cup clam juice, scrape the crust from the bottom of the
> pot, and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook,
> scraping the pot bottom occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the
> remaining seasoning mix and cook, whisking constantly to break up the
> potatoes and release their starch to thicken the chowder, 4 minutes.
> Stir in the milk and bring just to the boiling point, then add the
> diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and
> cook, uncovered, scraping often, until the potatoes are tender, about
> 20 minutes. Watch the pot closely: If the soup begins to bubble too
> much, reduce the heat, so the milk won't curdle. Add the remaining 3
> tablespoons butter and the heavy cream and whip with the whisk. Scrape
> the bottom of the pot, stir, turn up the heat a bit, and cook just
> until the soup begins to bubble gently. Add the clams, cook 1 to 2
> minutes, and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and salt, if
> necessary. Makes about 16 cups.
>
> Serve the chowder in deep soup bowls with crusty bread.
>
> NOTE: Salt pushes the flavors of the other seasonings in this dish.
> Because salt pork differs depending on where it's processed, yours may
> be saltier or less salty than ours. If it comes thickly encrusted with
> salt, rinse some of it off and pat dry before dicing. Taste the chowder
> at the end, and, if necessary, add salt cautiously until the flavor is
> just right.
>
> Derek's notes:
>
> I added 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and 1 teaspoon dried Aleppo red
> pepper flakes to seasoning mix. I used bacon instead of salt pork,
> sauteeing the onion/celery/bell pepper in some of the bacon fat. I
> used grated Russet potato, and diced Yukon Gold potato. I used canned
> clams instead of live.
>
> Derek Juhl
>

wrote:
> It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
> much as I did.


It sounds good, but it certainly isn't New Englad clam chowda. Chowda
is simple old New England fare made with what was available to the early
settlers.

Somewhere I have a 1700s recipe for clam chowder but can't put my hands
on it right now. Here is the recipe I have from the 1940s.

1 qt fresh Maine clams, shucked
2 thin slices salt pork
1 small onion diced
4 cups diced small potatoes
1 cup water
salt & pepper
1 1/2 quarts milk
Piece of butter
Common crackers

Fry out salt pork using low heat. Remove pork and cook onion slowly in
fat, do not burn onion. aa the four cups diced potatoes and the water,
better add a little salt and pepper right now. Cover kettle, bring to
steaming point, lower heat, cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, using cutting board and a sharp knife, cut the head of
each clam into two or three pieces. Do the same with the firm part of
the clam and the soft part of the bellies, also. No, I do not remove
the black part. Save any juice you can.

When potatoes are soft, stir in cut clams, cover pan again, let cook for
three minutes, no longer for it toughens the clams. Add 1 1/2 quarts
milk. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if necessary. Keep in
mind that as the chowder ripens it may be salty enough. Add piece of
butter.

Serve with common crackers or pilot crackers. Not sure if pilot
crackers can be found outside of northern New England.

Jessica
>
> New England Clam Chowder
> Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
>
> Makes 12 main-course servings
> or 16 first-course servings
>
> There is probably no other dish native to New England about which New
> Englanders disagree more. No one is certain who first came up with the
> idea of cooking seafood in milk, but it seems likely that the
> combination arrived in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century with
> settlers from Old England. There always has been debate about how to
> properly thicken a clam chowder, and we agree with those who refuse to
> use flour, since it tends to neutralize the pungency of the clams. Our
> recipe depends on both diced and grated potatoes, which not only
> thicken the soup naturally but add a flavor of potato to every
> mouthful, complementing the clams perfectly.
>
> SEASONING MIX
>
> 1 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
> 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
> 1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
> 1 1/4teaspoons garlic powder
> 1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
> 1 1/4 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
> 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
> 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
> 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
>
> 1/2 pound salt pork, diced (see Note)
> 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
> 1 cup chopped onions
> 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
> 1 cup chopped celery
> 4 cups clam liquid (can be bottled clam juice), in all
> 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
> 4 cups milk
> 4 cups diced peeled potatoes
> 2 cups heavy cream
> 4 dozen shucked hard-shell clams, with their liquid
> 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
> Salt, optional (see Note)
>
> Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Makes
> 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
>
> Place the salt pork in a large heavy pot (not cast iron) over high
> heat, cover, and cook until the pork is sticking hard to the bottom of
> the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the grated potatoes, the onions, bell
> peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning
> mix. Scrape the bottom of.the pot well, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add
> 3 cups of the clam juice, scrape the pot bottom clean, and cook,
> scraping the bottom of the pot often, about 13 minutes. Stir in the
> remaining 1 cup clam juice, scrape the crust from the bottom of the
> pot, and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook,
> scraping the pot bottom occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the
> remaining seasoning mix and cook, whisking constantly to break up the
> potatoes and release their starch to thicken the chowder, 4 minutes.
> Stir in the milk and bring just to the boiling point, then add the
> diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and
> cook, uncovered, scraping often, until the potatoes are tender, about
> 20 minutes. Watch the pot closely: If the soup begins to bubble too
> much, reduce the heat, so the milk won't curdle. Add the remaining 3
> tablespoons butter and the heavy cream and whip with the whisk. Scrape
> the bottom of the pot, stir, turn up the heat a bit, and cook just
> until the soup begins to bubble gently. Add the clams, cook 1 to 2
> minutes, and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and salt, if
> necessary. Makes about 16 cups.
>
> Serve the chowder in deep soup bowls with crusty bread.
>
> NOTE: Salt pushes the flavors of the other seasonings in this dish.
> Because salt pork differs depending on where it's processed, yours may
> be saltier or less salty than ours. If it comes thickly encrusted with
> salt, rinse some of it off and pat dry before dicing. Taste the chowder
> at the end, and, if necessary, add salt cautiously until the flavor is
> just right.
>
> Derek's notes:
>
> I added 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and 1 teaspoon dried Aleppo red
> pepper flakes to seasoning mix. I used bacon instead of salt pork,
> sauteeing the onion/celery/bell pepper in some of the bacon fat. I
> used grated Russet potato, and diced Yukon Gold potato. I used canned
> clams instead of live.
>
> Derek Juhl
>

Bob (this one) wrote in message >...
wrote:
>
>> It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
>> much as I did.
>>
>> New England Clam Chowder
>> Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
>
>I read this recipe and, frankly, got a laugh out of it. While
>Prudhomme is a most impressive cook and I'm sure this is wonderfully
>tasty, he has gilded this lily

aaaah!

ok, im done freaking out.

--
saerah

TANSTAAFL

CrzyBitch (3:25:06 AM): I'm a secret agent, and a princess




----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! >100,000 Newsgroups
---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

jmcquown wrote:
> wrote:
>
>>It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it
>>as much as I did.
>>
>>New England Clam Chowder
>>Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
>
> (snipped recipe)
>
>>Derek Juhl
>
>
> Glad it turned out so well. I definitely love a good NE clam chowder.
>
> Jill
>
>


Except I have NEVER eaten NE clam chowder with green pepper, garlic,
mustard, basil, oregano, thyme and nutmeg. I don't deny it may
have been delicious, but it sounds more like a fusion soup than
a chowder. Chowder should taste like the sea, clean, not exotic.

gloria p

Bob (this one) wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
>> much as I did.
>>
>> New England Clam Chowder
>> Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
>
>
> I read this recipe and, frankly, got a laugh out of it. While Prudhomme
> is a most impressive cook and I'm sure this is wonderfully tasty, he has
> gilded this lily to conceptual incomprehensibility. This recipe is from
> the "if 5 ingredients are good, 25 are better." And "If one complex
> process is good, 6 are better."
>
> It's a peeve of mine to see people so drastically mess with an
> essentially classic recipe and technique package and still retain the
> old name. This is not New England clam chowder.
>
> In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially cream of potato soup
> with clams in it, with small local variations. This Prudhomme recipe is
> cajun or creole "New England clam chowder."

I couldn't agree more.

gloria p
born and raised in coastal SE Massachusetts

Puester wrote:

> Except I have NEVER eaten NE clam chowder with green pepper, garlic,
> mustard, basil, oregano, thyme and nutmeg. I don't deny it may
> have been delicious, but it sounds more like a fusion soup than
> a chowder. Chowder should taste like the sea, clean, not exotic.

You're correct that this is a fusion-type recipe. To give some
background, in the cookbook _Seasoned America_, Chef Paul Prudhomme
takes traditional Amercian recipes and applies his own Cajun twist.
For example, he uses a lot of herbs and spices. He also lets food
stick to the bottom of the pan, then stirs it up, a method he
recommends for flavour.

Derek Juhl

wrote:
> It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
> much as I did.
>
> New England Clam Chowder
> Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
>
> Makes 12 main-course servings
> or 16 first-course servings
>
> There is probably no other dish native to New England about which New
> Englanders disagree more. No one is certain who first came up with the
> idea of cooking seafood in milk, but it seems likely that the
> combination arrived in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century with
> settlers from Old England. There always has been debate about how to
> properly thicken a clam chowder, and we agree with those who refuse to
> use flour, since it tends to neutralize the pungency of the clams. Our
> recipe depends on both diced and grated potatoes, which not only
> thicken the soup naturally but add a flavor of potato to every
> mouthful, complementing the clams perfectly.
>
> SEASONING MIX
>
> 1 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
> 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
> 1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
> 1 1/4teaspoons garlic powder
> 1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
> 1 1/4 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
> 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
> 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
> 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
>
> 1/2 pound salt pork, diced (see Note)
> 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
> 1 cup chopped onions
> 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
> 1 cup chopped celery
> 4 cups clam liquid (can be bottled clam juice), in all
> 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
> 4 cups milk
> 4 cups diced peeled potatoes
> 2 cups heavy cream
> 4 dozen shucked hard-shell clams, with their liquid
> 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
> Salt, optional (see Note)
>
> Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Makes
> 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
>
> Place the salt pork in a large heavy pot (not cast iron) over high
> heat, cover, and cook until the pork is sticking hard to the bottom of
> the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the grated potatoes, the onions, bell
> peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning
> mix. Scrape the bottom of.the pot well, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add
> 3 cups of the clam juice, scrape the pot bottom clean, and cook,
> scraping the bottom of the pot often, about 13 minutes. Stir in the
> remaining 1 cup clam juice, scrape the crust from the bottom of the
> pot, and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook,
> scraping the pot bottom occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the
> remaining seasoning mix and cook, whisking constantly to break up the
> potatoes and release their starch to thicken the chowder, 4 minutes.
> Stir in the milk and bring just to the boiling point, then add the
> diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and
> cook, uncovered, scraping often, until the potatoes are tender, about
> 20 minutes. Watch the pot closely: If the soup begins to bubble too
> much, reduce the heat, so the milk won't curdle. Add the remaining 3
> tablespoons butter and the heavy cream and whip with the whisk. Scrape
> the bottom of the pot, stir, turn up the heat a bit, and cook just
> until the soup begins to bubble gently. Add the clams, cook 1 to 2
> minutes, and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and salt, if
> necessary. Makes about 16 cups.
>
> Serve the chowder in deep soup bowls with crusty bread.
>
> NOTE: Salt pushes the flavors of the other seasonings in this dish.
> Because salt pork differs depending on where it's processed, yours may
> be saltier or less salty than ours. If it comes thickly encrusted with
> salt, rinse some of it off and pat dry before dicing. Taste the chowder
> at the end, and, if necessary, add salt cautiously until the flavor is
> just right.
>
> Derek's notes:
>
> I added 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and 1 teaspoon dried Aleppo red
> pepper flakes to seasoning mix. I used bacon instead of salt pork,
> sauteeing the onion/celery/bell pepper in some of the bacon fat. I
> used grated Russet potato, and diced Yukon Gold potato. I used canned
> clams instead of live.
>
> Derek Juhl
>
- The most common misconception is that the liquid portion of chowder
should be think and gooey (hence the flour). Chowder should have lots
of stuff in it, potatoes, onions, and seafood, but the liquid portion
isn't thick and gooey. Grated potatoes? Ridiculous.

- There's nothing wrong with using just clams or just fish (readers may
recall the boardinghouse in _Moby Dick_ in which the meal choice was
limited to "cod or clam", day after day). But it is perfectly authentic
to use whatever mix of seafood you have at hand. Canned clams work fine.

- For an authentic New England flavor (which extends all the way to the
Canadian Maritime provinces, where the chowder is wonderful), stick with
salt pork, onions, potatoes, salt, pepper - put the green stuff in
the salad, or the seafood gumbo, or the cioppino. And you'll need whole
milk. The no-fat kind just doesn't make it in chowder.

--

================================================== =============
Regards

Louis Cohen

"Yes, yes, I will desalinate you, you grande morue!"

Émile Zola, Assommoir 1877

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 09:02:48 -0500, "elaine" > wrote:

> I never add flour to my soup or chowder - seems like
>cheating to me plus and don't like the taste. I also use canned clams,
>having had fresh clams on several occasions, I always get the ones that
>still have sand in them. God, I hate that!

Have you tried using a can of baby clams? They look really weird, but they
are so very tender, and no sand. I just try not to look at them while
eating them.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:14:46 -0500, "Bob (this one)" >
wrote:

>In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially cream of potato
>soup with clams in it, with small local variations.

So, I could make potato leek soup, toss in a can or two of baby clams, and
I'd have chowder?

Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.

I've never attempted my own clam chowder. Don't know why it makes me so
nervous. The best I've had has been Campbell's chunky non-concentrated
soup. I know I can do better. I've just been afraid to try.

Please say yes, oh Prince of Food.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

"Damsel" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 09:02:48 -0500, "elaine" > wrote:
>
> > I never add flour to my soup or chowder - seems like
> >cheating to me plus and don't like the taste. I also use canned clams,
> >having had fresh clams on several occasions, I always get the ones that
> >still have sand in them. God, I hate that!
>
> Have you tried using a can of baby clams? They look really weird, but
they
> are so very tender, and no sand. I just try not to look at them while
> eating them.
>

Carol,

Use them all the time in chowders & linguines; but never look at the little
buggers when eating. Never!

:-) Elaine

>Damsel writes:
>
>>wrote:
>>
>>I also use canned clams, having had fresh clams on several occasions, I
always get the ones that still have sand in them. God, I hate that!
>
>Have you tried using a can of baby clams?

Canned clams are like canned veggies, only worse. Other than harvesting your
own the best are frozen clams... they're shucked within an hour or two of
harvest and immediately flash frozen. Frozen clams are packaged in the same
cardboard carton as milk and are available in quarts and half gallons. They
are generally only available from restaurant provision suppliers, there's
usually at least one source within a reasonable distance to most towns in the
US. The frozen quart container is very easy to halve with a hacksaw - thaw
what you need in the fridge.


---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

In article >,
wrote:

> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:14:46 -0500, "Bob (this one)" >
> wrote:
>
> >In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially cream of potato
> >soup with clams in it, with small local variations.
>
> So, I could make potato leek soup, toss in a can or two of baby clams, and
> I'd have chowder?
>
> Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.
>
> I've never attempted my own clam chowder. Don't know why it makes me so
> nervous. The best I've had has been Campbell's chunky non-concentrated
> soup. I know I can do better. I've just been afraid to try.
>
> Please say yes, oh Prince of Food.
>
> Carol

Carol, I used to put a can of canned minced clams (Gorton's brand, no
longer made) into a can of prepared cream of potato soup. Seemed the
same as the condensed clam chowder to me.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> 2005 Pirohy Marathon pics added 1-23-05.
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

Damsel wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:14:46 -0500, "Bob (this one)" >
> wrote:
>
>
>>In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially cream of potato
>>soup with clams in it, with small local variations.
>
>
> So, I could make potato leek soup, toss in a can or two of baby clams, and
> I'd have chowder?
>
> Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.
>
> I've never attempted my own clam chowder. Don't know why it makes me so
> nervous. The best I've had has been Campbell's chunky non-concentrated
> soup. I know I can do better. I've just been afraid to try.
>
> Please say yes, oh Prince of Food.
>
> Carol

Give it a try...I bet you'll never want Campbell's agian.

Jessica

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 17:50:11 -0500, "elaine" > wrote:

>"Damsel" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 09:02:48 -0500, "elaine" > wrote:
>>
>> > I never add flour to my soup or chowder - seems like
>> >cheating to me plus and don't like the taste. I also use canned clams,
>> >having had fresh clams on several occasions, I always get the ones that
>> >still have sand in them. God, I hate that!
>>
>> Have you tried using a can of baby clams? They look really weird, but
>> they are so very tender, and no sand. I just try not to look at them while
>> eating them.
>
>Use them all the time in chowders & linguines; but never look at the little
>buggers when eating. Never!

I'm not going to say what they remind me of, or no one reading this will
ever eat them again, but man, they taste good! LOL

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 16:58:58 -0600, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>Carol, I used to put a can of canned minced clams (Gorton's brand, no
>longer made) into a can of prepared cream of potato soup. Seemed the
>same as the condensed clam chowder to me.

I've never had canned potato soup, so I'll just have to take your word on
that. I never thought of putting clams into potato soup. Sometimes, you
can't see something when it's standing right in front of you! (Maybe I
need new glasses)

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

On 23 Jan 2005 22:57:51 GMT, (PENMART01) wrote:

>Canned clams are like canned veggies, only worse. Other than harvesting your
>own the best are frozen clams... they're shucked within an hour or two of
>harvest and immediately flash frozen. Frozen clams are packaged in the same
>cardboard carton as milk and are available in quarts and half gallons. They
>are generally only available from restaurant provision suppliers, there's
>usually at least one source within a reasonable distance to most towns in the
>US. The frozen quart container is very easy to halve with a hacksaw - thaw
>what you need in the fridge.

<GRIN> You're so cute, Sheldon. Like I'm gonna get a quart of clams and
saw off chunks. Even if I *had* a hacksaw, I'd die of exhaustion before
getting halfway through the clams. Nope, I'd have to get one of those
enormous soup kettles and use the whole batch at once, then freeze the soup
in huge plastic containers. But wait! Now the texture of the potatoes is
degraded.

Okay, so here's the deal. I've never had a good quality clam in my life,
and probably never will. I'm not missing anything, so I'll just use those
defenseless baby clams in a can. I'll make something else the night you
come over for dinner. And I'll hide my oven mitts.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

It's always puzzled me;

Why the Salt Pork ?

Would chopped soft--fried bacon work as well ?

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 12:37:17 -0500, "Jessica V." > wrote:

wrote:
>> It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
>> much as I did.
>
>
>It sounds good, but it certainly isn't New Englad clam chowda. Chowda
>is simple old New England fare made with what was available to the early
>settlers.
>
>Somewhere I have a 1700s recipe for clam chowder but can't put my hands
>on it right now. Here is the recipe I have from the 1940s.
>
>1 qt fresh Maine clams, shucked
>2 thin slices salt pork
>1 small onion diced
>4 cups diced small potatoes
>1 cup water
>salt & pepper
>1 1/2 quarts milk
>Piece of butter
>Common crackers
>
>Fry out salt pork using low heat. Remove pork and cook onion slowly in
>fat, do not burn onion. aa the four cups diced potatoes and the water,
>better add a little salt and pepper right now. Cover kettle, bring to
>steaming point, lower heat, cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
>
>In the meantime, using cutting board and a sharp knife, cut the head of
>each clam into two or three pieces. Do the same with the firm part of
>the clam and the soft part of the bellies, also. No, I do not remove
>the black part. Save any juice you can.
>
>When potatoes are soft, stir in cut clams, cover pan again, let cook for
>three minutes, no longer for it toughens the clams. Add 1 1/2 quarts
>milk. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if necessary. Keep in
>mind that as the chowder ripens it may be salty enough. Add piece of
>butter.
>
>Serve with common crackers or pilot crackers. Not sure if pilot
>crackers can be found outside of northern New England.
>
>Jessica
>>
>> New England Clam Chowder
>> Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
>>
>> Makes 12 main-course servings
>> or 16 first-course servings
>>
>> There is probably no other dish native to New England about which New
>> Englanders disagree more. No one is certain who first came up with the
>> idea of cooking seafood in milk, but it seems likely that the
>> combination arrived in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century with
>> settlers from Old England. There always has been debate about how to
>> properly thicken a clam chowder, and we agree with those who refuse to
>> use flour, since it tends to neutralize the pungency of the clams. Our
>> recipe depends on both diced and grated potatoes, which not only
>> thicken the soup naturally but add a flavor of potato to every
>> mouthful, complementing the clams perfectly.
>>
>> SEASONING MIX
>>
>> 1 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
>> 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
>> 1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
>> 1 1/4teaspoons garlic powder
>> 1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
>> 1 1/4 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
>> 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
>> 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
>> 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
>>
>> 1/2 pound salt pork, diced (see Note)
>> 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
>> 1 cup chopped onions
>> 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
>> 1 cup chopped celery
>> 4 cups clam liquid (can be bottled clam juice), in all
>> 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
>> 4 cups milk
>> 4 cups diced peeled potatoes
>> 2 cups heavy cream
>> 4 dozen shucked hard-shell clams, with their liquid
>> 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
>> Salt, optional (see Note)
>>
>> Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Makes
>> 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
>>
>> Place the salt pork in a large heavy pot (not cast iron) over high
>> heat, cover, and cook until the pork is sticking hard to the bottom of
>> the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the grated potatoes, the onions, bell
>> peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning
>> mix. Scrape the bottom of.the pot well, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add
>> 3 cups of the clam juice, scrape the pot bottom clean, and cook,
>> scraping the bottom of the pot often, about 13 minutes. Stir in the
>> remaining 1 cup clam juice, scrape the crust from the bottom of the
>> pot, and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook,
>> scraping the pot bottom occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the
>> remaining seasoning mix and cook, whisking constantly to break up the
>> potatoes and release their starch to thicken the chowder, 4 minutes.
>> Stir in the milk and bring just to the boiling point, then add the
>> diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and
>> cook, uncovered, scraping often, until the potatoes are tender, about
>> 20 minutes. Watch the pot closely: If the soup begins to bubble too
>> much, reduce the heat, so the milk won't curdle. Add the remaining 3
>> tablespoons butter and the heavy cream and whip with the whisk. Scrape
>> the bottom of the pot, stir, turn up the heat a bit, and cook just
>> until the soup begins to bubble gently. Add the clams, cook 1 to 2
>> minutes, and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and salt, if
>> necessary. Makes about 16 cups.
>>
>> Serve the chowder in deep soup bowls with crusty bread.
>>
>> NOTE: Salt pushes the flavors of the other seasonings in this dish.
>> Because salt pork differs depending on where it's processed, yours may
>> be saltier or less salty than ours. If it comes thickly encrusted with
>> salt, rinse some of it off and pat dry before dicing. Taste the chowder
>> at the end, and, if necessary, add salt cautiously until the flavor is
>> just right.
>>
>> Derek's notes:
>>
>> I added 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and 1 teaspoon dried Aleppo red
>> pepper flakes to seasoning mix. I used bacon instead of salt pork,
>> sauteeing the onion/celery/bell pepper in some of the bacon fat. I
>> used grated Russet potato, and diced Yukon Gold potato. I used canned
>> clams instead of live.
>>
>> Derek Juhl
>>

<rj>

Damsel wrote:
>
>> In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially
>> cream of potato soup with clams in it, with small local
>> variations.
>
> So, I could make potato leek soup, toss in a can or two
> of baby clams, and I'd have chowder?
>
> Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.

That would work. It wouldn't really be New England clam chowder, but what
do you care? You're in MiniSoda. Call it MiniSoda Clam chowdah.

>
> I've never attempted my own clam chowder. Don't know why
> it makes me so nervous.

You've probably heard that adding clams to the cream base will make the
milk/cream curdle. It can with fresh clams, but you're probably going to
use canned clams, and unless the cannrd clams are really cold and the base
is really hot (as it should be) your chances of it curdling are likely
slim to none.

> The best I've had has been
> Campbell's chunky non-concentrated soup. I know I can do
> better. I've just been afraid to try.
>
That stuff can be addictive. Once you've had really good freshly made
N.E. clam chowder, there is no comparisum, but the Campbells is addictive,
and a relatively new "comfort food".

BOB

<RJ> wrote:
> It's always puzzled me;
>
> Why the Salt Pork ?
>
> Would chopped soft--fried bacon work as well ?
>

rj,
My apologies if I mailed you. Slip of the fingers!

I use sliced bacon, fried until firm as I can't stand the consistency of
fat. *yuck*

--
Steve

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little
bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards...

<RJ> wrote:
> It's always puzzled me;
>
> Why the Salt Pork ?

It's the law!
;-)

>
> Would chopped soft--fried bacon work as well ?
>
Yes, and it will be good, too. But it won't be the same.

BOB

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:17:17 -0500, Rodney Myrvaagnes
> wrote:

>On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 15:45:59 -0600, Damsel >
>wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:14:46 -0500, "Bob (this one)" >
>>wrote:
>>
>>>In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially cream of potato
>>>soup with clams in it, with small local variations.
>>
>>So, I could make potato leek soup, toss in a can or two of baby clams, and
>>I'd have chowder?
>>
>Well, sort of. It might come out fine. But I think salt pork and
>diced, not pureed potatoes, are customary, and onions were far more
>common than leeks in New England fishing villages.

I generally use plain ol' ham in my tater soup. And it's ALWAYS cubed
potatoes, with the exception of a few that I zap with my stick blender to
make the soup thicker. I don't like creamed soups, except Jill's Butternut
Squash soup. Even then, I leave a few chunks of squash so I don't feel
like I'm eating baby food.

I'd use leeks just because the recipe I'm working from is very well liked
by my fussy eater, Crash, and he's a little onion-phobic for some reason.

>My attitude is do what you like, unless you are representing it as a
>historic recreation.

Nah, I'd just call it clam chowder. I'm not gonna dress up like Thomas
Jefferson when I serve it. More like Louise "Weezie" Jefferson.

>I am convinced that Pastorio knows what he is talking about, and if he
>says canned clams are ok then go with it.

I've got lots of respect for Pastorio (he invented pasteurized milk, didn't
he?), too.

>I get littlenecks from the
>fisherfolk who come to the greenmarket and have never tried canned.

When I was small, we went clam digging along a shoreline in Washington
state. Does Razorback sound right? Damn, those things are fast! You just
filled up your bucket, and brought it to this canning place where they
cleaned them and canned them. We were eating those clams for years. I'd
nearly forgotten that memory.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

All this talk about clam chowder, and not one word about the "other" clam
chowder...

I hate to be sacrilegious, but I like Manhattan clam chowder. I guess it's
what you grow up with.

In either case, salt pork is required. The last time I needed some I ran
into the usual problem in my local Safeway. The meat case must have had 50
pounds total of fatback packages, but not a single package of salt pork. I
asked the meat person at the store that day, and she didn't understand the
difference between salt pork and fatback. So then she suggested a package of
ham chunks for seasoning. No, no, no... salt pork, fatback, ham chunks,
bacon... it all has a somewhat different taste and texture.

So I went to Shoppers Food Warehouse instead.

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:41:06 -0500, " BOB" > wrote:

>Damsel wrote:
>>
>>>From the keyboard of Bob Pastorio:
>>>
>>> In New England, clam chowder is usually essentially
>>> cream of potato soup with clams in it, with small local
>>> variations.
>>
>> So, I could make potato leek soup, toss in a can or two
>> of baby clams, and I'd have chowder?
>>
>> Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.
>
>That would work. It wouldn't really be New England clam chowder, but what
>do you care? You're in MiniSoda. Call it MiniSoda Clam chowdah.

Just plain ol' Clam Chowder. I suppose I could come up with some really
impressive-sounding, pretentious name for my creation, but it'd just be
clam chowder. And chowdah is from somewhere other than Minnesoda.
Bah-ston, maybe?

>> I've never attempted my own clam chowder. Don't know why
>> it makes me so nervous.
>
>You've probably heard that adding clams to the cream base will make the
>milk/cream curdle. It can with fresh clams, but you're probably going to
>use canned clams, and unless the cannrd clams are really cold and the base
>is really hot (as it should be) your chances of it curdling are likely
>slim to none.

Curdling has never occurred to me. I just thought of it clam chowder as
kind of a mystery food. Glad to know I'll be safe, unless I store my cans
of clams in the refrigerator, which would be strange, even for me.

>> The best I've had has been
>> Campbell's chunky non-concentrated soup. I know I can do
>> better. I've just been afraid to try.
>>
>That stuff can be addictive. Once you've had really good freshly made
>N.E. clam chowder, there is no comparisum, but the Campbells is addictive,
>and a relatively new "comfort food".

Definitely, there'll be no comparison, but when you're both tired and
hungry, the Campbell's stuff really hits the spot. Just don't get the
condensed version, and if you do, don't say I didn't warn you.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:02:20 -0500, "Jessica V." > wrote:

>Give it a try...I bet you'll never want Campbell's agian.

Something tells me you're right. I can almost see the little puddles of
butter floating on top.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

Damsel wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:41:06 -0500, " BOB" >
> wrote:
>> Call it MiniSoda Clam chowdah.
>
> Just plain ol' Clam Chowder. I suppose I could come up
> with some really impressive-sounding, pretentious name
> for my creation, but it'd just be clam chowder. And
> chowdah is from somewhere other than Minnesoda. Bah-ston,
> maybe?

The "chowdah" part was just me. That's the way I pronounce it no matter
where it's from or what's in it.

Why name it? Just eat it!
;-)

>>> The best I've had has been
>>> Campbell's chunky non-concentrated soup. I know I can
>>> do better. I've just been afraid to try.
>>>
>> That stuff can be addictive. Once you've had really
>> good freshly made N.E. clam chowder, there is no
>> comparisum, but the Campbells is addictive, and a
>> relatively new "comfort food".
>
> Definitely, there'll be no comparison, but when you're
> both tired and hungry, the Campbell's stuff really hits
> the spot. Just don't get the condensed version, and if
> you do, don't say I didn't warn you.

I do know the difference. Your warning is right on.
I have been known to open the can (non-condensed version, do they make a
condensed version of the Chunky?) and eat it with a spoon right out of the
can when really tired and hungry. Heated is much better if I have the
energy.

BOB

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 20:58:27 -0500, " BOB" > wrote:

>Damsel wrote:
>> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:41:06 -0500, " BOB" >
>> wrote:
>
>Why name it? Just eat it!
>;-)

Well, I do need to distinguish the clam chowder from macaroni and cheese,
ya know?

>>>> The best I've had has been
>>>> Campbell's chunky non-concentrated soup.
>>>>
>>> That stuff can be addictive. Once you've had really
>>> good freshly made N.E. clam chowder, there is no
>>> comparisum, but the Campbells is addictive, and a
>>> relatively new "comfort food".
>>
>> Definitely, there'll be no comparison, but when you're
>> both tired and hungry, the Campbell's stuff really hits
>> the spot. Just don't get the condensed version, and if
>> you do, don't say I didn't warn you.
>
>I do know the difference. Your warning is right on.
>I have been known to open the can (non-condensed version, do they make a
>condensed version of the Chunky?)

Nope, I just checked my last can of the condensed crap. They just call it
New England Clam Chowder. It will probably be donated to a food pantry.

> and eat it with a spoon right out of the
>can when really tired and hungry. Heated is much better if I have the
>energy.

Now that just hurts my brain. But I do understand not having the energy to
create a suitable meal. That's us, most of the time.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

<RJ> wrote:

> It's always puzzled me;
>
> Why the Salt Pork ?

Because housewives were more likely to have salt pork on hand than bacon
in the days when chowders were an inexpensive staple of the coastal
diet. Chowders were really cheap fare...most had a milking cow, there
were always potatoes and onions in the garden or root cellar and the
seafood portion was either dug or carried home in the day's catch.

>
> Would chopped soft--fried bacon work as well ?

Yes...the flavor is a little bit different but still darned tastey.
I'll adulterate chowder by adding a couple of crumbled strips of crispy
bacon.


>
> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 12:37:17 -0500, "Jessica V." > wrote:
>
>
wrote:
>>
>>>It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
>>>much as I did.
>>
>>
>>It sounds good, but it certainly isn't New Englad clam chowda. Chowda
>>is simple old New England fare made with what was available to the early
>>settlers.
>>
>>Somewhere I have a 1700s recipe for clam chowder but can't put my hands
>>on it right now. Here is the recipe I have from the 1940s.
>>
>>1 qt fresh Maine clams, shucked
>>2 thin slices salt pork
>>1 small onion diced
>>4 cups diced small potatoes
>>1 cup water
>>salt & pepper
>>1 1/2 quarts milk
>>Piece of butter
>>Common crackers
>>
>>Fry out salt pork using low heat. Remove pork and cook onion slowly in
>>fat, do not burn onion. aa the four cups diced potatoes and the water,
>>better add a little salt and pepper right now. Cover kettle, bring to
>>steaming point, lower heat, cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
>>
>>In the meantime, using cutting board and a sharp knife, cut the head of
>>each clam into two or three pieces. Do the same with the firm part of
>>the clam and the soft part of the bellies, also. No, I do not remove
>>the black part. Save any juice you can.
>>
>>When potatoes are soft, stir in cut clams, cover pan again, let cook for
>>three minutes, no longer for it toughens the clams. Add 1 1/2 quarts
>>milk. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if necessary. Keep in
>>mind that as the chowder ripens it may be salty enough. Add piece of
>>butter.
>>
>>Serve with common crackers or pilot crackers. Not sure if pilot
>>crackers can be found outside of northern New England.
>>
>>Jessica
>>
>>>New England Clam Chowder
>>>Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
>>>
>>>Makes 12 main-course servings
>>>or 16 first-course servings
>>>
>>>There is probably no other dish native to New England about which New
>>>Englanders disagree more. No one is certain who first came up with the
>>>idea of cooking seafood in milk, but it seems likely that the
>>>combination arrived in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century with
>>>settlers from Old England. There always has been debate about how to
>>>properly thicken a clam chowder, and we agree with those who refuse to
>>>use flour, since it tends to neutralize the pungency of the clams. Our
>>>recipe depends on both diced and grated potatoes, which not only
>>>thicken the soup naturally but add a flavor of potato to every
>>>mouthful, complementing the clams perfectly.
>>>
>>>SEASONING MIX
>>>
>>>1 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
>>>1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
>>>1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
>>>1 1/4teaspoons garlic powder
>>>1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
>>>1 1/4 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
>>>1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
>>>1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
>>>1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
>>>
>>>1/2 pound salt pork, diced (see Note)
>>>2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
>>>1 cup chopped onions
>>>1 cup chopped green bell peppers
>>>1 cup chopped celery
>>>4 cups clam liquid (can be bottled clam juice), in all
>>>6 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
>>>4 cups milk
>>>4 cups diced peeled potatoes
>>>2 cups heavy cream
>>>4 dozen shucked hard-shell clams, with their liquid
>>>1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
>>>Salt, optional (see Note)
>>>
>>>Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Makes
>>>3 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
>>>
>>>Place the salt pork in a large heavy pot (not cast iron) over high
>>>heat, cover, and cook until the pork is sticking hard to the bottom of
>>>the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the grated potatoes, the onions, bell
>>>peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning
>>>mix. Scrape the bottom of.the pot well, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add
>>>3 cups of the clam juice, scrape the pot bottom clean, and cook,
>>>scraping the bottom of the pot often, about 13 minutes. Stir in the
>>>remaining 1 cup clam juice, scrape the crust from the bottom of the
>>>pot, and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook,
>>>scraping the pot bottom occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the
>>>remaining seasoning mix and cook, whisking constantly to break up the
>>>potatoes and release their starch to thicken the chowder, 4 minutes.
>>>Stir in the milk and bring just to the boiling point, then add the
>>>diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and
>>>cook, uncovered, scraping often, until the potatoes are tender, about
>>>20 minutes. Watch the pot closely: If the soup begins to bubble too
>>>much, reduce the heat, so the milk won't curdle. Add the remaining 3
>>>tablespoons butter and the heavy cream and whip with the whisk. Scrape
>>>the bottom of the pot, stir, turn up the heat a bit, and cook just
>>>until the soup begins to bubble gently. Add the clams, cook 1 to 2
>>>minutes, and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and salt, if
>>>necessary. Makes about 16 cups.
>>>
>>>Serve the chowder in deep soup bowls with crusty bread.
>>>
>>>NOTE: Salt pushes the flavors of the other seasonings in this dish.
>>>Because salt pork differs depending on where it's processed, yours may
>>>be saltier or less salty than ours. If it comes thickly encrusted with
>>>salt, rinse some of it off and pat dry before dicing. Taste the chowder
>>>at the end, and, if necessary, add salt cautiously until the flavor is
>>>just right.
>>>
>>>Derek's notes:
>>>
>>>I added 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and 1 teaspoon dried Aleppo red
>>>pepper flakes to seasoning mix. I used bacon instead of salt pork,
>>>sauteeing the onion/celery/bell pepper in some of the bacon fat. I
>>>used grated Russet potato, and diced Yukon Gold potato. I used canned
>>>clams instead of live.
>>>
>>>Derek Juhl
>>>
>
>
> <rj>

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 17:28:42 -0700, "<RJ>" >
wrote:

>
>It's always puzzled me;
>
>Why the Salt Pork ?
>
>Would chopped soft--fried bacon work as well ?
>

Yes, IMHO.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a


Let us restore integrity and honor to the White House

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 01:41:26 GMT, "wff_ng_6"
> wrote:

>All this talk about clam chowder, and not one word about the "other" clam
>chowder...
>
>I hate to be sacrilegious, but I like Manhattan clam chowder. I guess it's
>what you grow up with.
>
>In either case, salt pork is required. The last time I needed some I ran
>into the usual problem in my local Safeway. The meat case must have had 50
>pounds total of fatback packages, but not a single package of salt pork. I
>asked the meat person at the store that day, and she didn't understand the
>difference between salt pork and fatback. So then she suggested a package of
>ham chunks for seasoning. No, no, no... salt pork, fatback, ham chunks,
>bacon... it all has a somewhat different taste and texture.
>
>So I went to Shoppers Food Warehouse instead.
>
Enlighten me please. I always thought fatback was salt pork.

TIA


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a


Let us restore integrity and honor to the White House

>
> > The best I've had has been
> > Campbell's chunky non-concentrated soup. I know I can do
> > better. I've just been afraid to try.
> >
> That stuff can be addictive. Once you've had really good freshly made
> N.E. clam chowder, there is no comparisum, but the Campbells is addictive,
> and a relatively new "comfort food".
>
> BOB
>
>

Just my opinion, but the Progresso brand is much, much better.
H

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" > wrote:
> Enlighten me please. I always thought fatback was salt pork.

They are different products, and when I see it, the same maker sells both a
fatback product and a salt pork product. The salt pork is generally leaner
and saltier than the fatback. Fatback often has no streaks of lean it it at
all. In fact, fatback may not even be cured at all, and have no salt. Salt
pork generally comes from the belly, while fatback of course comes from the
back, hence the name.

Here's a reference on the web that explains the differences:

http://www.foodsubs.com/MeatcureBacon.html

The pictures say a lot. The fatback shown seems to be of the uncured
variety. I've only seen it in the cured form. But the lack of lean in the
fatback and its presence in salt pork is clear from the pictures.

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 09:32:33 -0600, "Hairy" > wrote:

>Just my opinion, but the Progresso brand is much, much better.

I found Progresso to be completely inedible. I can't remember if I gave it
away or threw it away. I'm glad that you enjoy it, though.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 15:43:39 GMT, "wff_ng_6"
> wrote:

>"Rodney Myrvaagnes" > wrote:
>> Enlighten me please. I always thought fatback was salt pork.
>
>They are different products, and when I see it, the same maker sells both a
>fatback product and a salt pork product. The salt pork is generally leaner
>and saltier than the fatback. Fatback often has no streaks of lean it it at
>all. In fact, fatback may not even be cured at all, and have no salt. Salt
>pork generally comes from the belly, while fatback of course comes from the
>back, hence the name.
>
>Here's a reference on the web that explains the differences:
>
> http://www.foodsubs.com/MeatcureBacon.html
>
>The pictures say a lot. The fatback shown seems to be of the uncured
>variety. I've only seen it in the cured form. But the lack of lean in the
>fatback and its presence in salt pork is clear from the pictures.
>
Thanks. That is clear. I usually keep a guanciale (locally cured hog
jowl) for chowder-like things. It does have lean streaks like the salt
pork, but is still very fatty.

It is also terrific for pasta carbonara.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a


Let us restore integrity and honor to the White House

Hairy wrote:
>>>The best I've had has been
>>>Campbell's chunky non-concentrated soup. I know I can do
>>>better. I've just been afraid to try.
>>>
>>
>>That stuff can be addictive. Once you've had really good freshly made
>>N.E. clam chowder, there is no comparisum, but the Campbells is addictive,
>>and a relatively new "comfort food".
>>
>>BOB
>>
>>
>
>
> Just my opinion, but the Progresso brand is much, much better.
> H
>
>

The best selling brand in N.E. is Snow's.

gloria p

I live right on the beach of the Pacific Ocean in WA. Consequently I
have a lot of razor clams in my freezer, 5 years old or so. I've never
yet taken the time to learn how to use them properly. The catching was
the fun part. Suspect some chowder would be the answer at this late
date. Any suggestions?

snip

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 14:27:07 -0800, Jim Davis >
wrote:

>I live right on the beach of the Pacific Ocean in WA. Consequently I
>have a lot of razor clams in my freezer, 5 years old or so. I've never
>yet taken the time to learn how to use them properly. The catching was
>the fun part. Suspect some chowder would be the answer at this late
>date. Any suggestions?

The razors that we captured in that general area were processed at a local
cannery. We used them exclusively for clam dip. I'm heartbroken that I
don't have my mom's recipe. The dip included cream cheese, clams with
their juice and .... maybe sour cream??

My folks made clam dip when my erstwhile daughter was a toddler. She
dipped a potato chip into the dip, took a bite, hit a clam, and spit the
whole works back into the serving bowl. She's not amused when this story
is retold.

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

In article >,
Damsel > wrote:

> The razors that we captured in that general area were processed at a local
> cannery. We used them exclusively for clam dip. I'm heartbroken that I
> don't have my mom's recipe. The dip included cream cheese, clams with
> their juice and .... maybe sour cream??

And a dash of worcestershire sauce?

Priscilla

--
"It is very, very dangerous to treat any human, lowest
of the low even, with contempt and arrogant whatever.
The Lord takes this kind of treatment very, very personal."
- QBaal in newsgroup alt.religion.christian.episcopal