What's in a chowder? The essentials

Its clear fall is finally here! The nights are getting colder and the air is getting crisper. I found myself sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket and I was FREEZING. So I thought what better way to celebrate this change than to make chowder.

But as I was rummaging through the fridge and dry storage, I came upon one clear question: What is chowder? I’ve had the New England clam chowder – a creamy mixture filled with clams and hunks of potato. But, I’ve also had Manhattan clam chowder – a tomato based clear soup with pasta. So what’s really going on here?

The examples above demonstrate two kinds of clam chowder. However, the kind I will be exploring today is the cream based New England style – which I find to be the most fantastic of the two. I'll follow up shortly this month with the opposing style as well. 

I rummaged around some Coastal, New England, and American cook books and consulted the great and almighty, powerful internet and came to the following essential ingredients:

Mire Poux - carrot (sometimes optional), onion, celery. 

Milk thickened with a roux (fat and flour) – I saw many variations on this, ranging from cream of potato soup to half-and-half to regular milk. I would say that my preference is whole milk in this instance, but you can really use whatever… apparently. The goal is not to have a very thick soup, but rather a creamy based one. The chowder shouldn't be clumping to the spoon. It should be only slightly thicker than milk, but enough to barely coat a spoon.

Potatoes – quintessential to any New England chowder is cubes of starchy goodness. Since there are such a variety of potatoes out there, I wouldn't say you have to stick to one species - use your old potatoes! But, if you want something with a good starch content and flavor, I would say to use Yukon Gold or Red Russet. You can also get the baby russets or fingerlings for a more rustic style.

Seafood – most recipes call for some kind of seafood, but you can do it vegetarian as well. I suggest using cauliflower and mushrooms seasoned with seafood seasoning to replicate the flavor.

Using these four main elements, you can explore the endless possibilities of chowder. When adding ingredients to it, try to keep them under three because after that, it just becomes confusing as a dish.

Here’s some ideas for creative chowders that I didn't use:

Oyster and fennel

Monk fish

Clam and sweet potato

Leek and lobster

Salmon and caper

Crab and corn chowder with burnt butter and chive

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients (chowder):

1 lb. crab meat

6 ears corn (kernels removed)

1 Medium onion

2 stalks celery

2 medium carrots

8 large red potatoes (small dice)

2 shallots

3 Tablespoons butter

4 slices bacon (small dice)

1 shot sherry wine

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

8-10 sprigs of thyme

10 sprigs parsley

1 Tablespoon pepper corn

½ teaspoon whole nutmeg (about a quarter)

½-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ quart milk

1 ½ quart stock (vegetable, chicken, or clam juice)

Ingredients (burnt butter sauce):

2 Tablespoons butter

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped chive

Equipment:

Large pot

Chef knife or food processor

Peeler

Cutting board

Large wooden spoon

Measuring cups

Cheese cloth or coffee filter

Butchers twine or tea bag string

Directions (chowder):

1. Peel carrots to avoid the earthy and bitter taste from the skin.
2. Dice the shallot, onion, carrot, and celery to a very small dice. I don’t like big chunks of veggies in my chowder. If you have a food processor, buzz it until it’s pretty smooth. These ingredients are there for flavor enhancements and not a main component.
3. Put pot over medium-low heat and allow it to heat up.
4. Place bacon in the pot and allow it to render slowly. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.
5. When the bacon is slightly crispy, toss shallots, onions, carrots, and celery into pot and cook until onion is translucent.
6. Add corn and cook until it becomes tender. It’s ok if you see some browning occur, just turn the heat down. At this point add the sherry and Worcestershire sauce. 
7. Roll the nutmeg, pepper, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf into the cheese cloth or coffee filter. Tie off the ends with butchers twine or tea bag strings. Add to the pot
8. Once the moisture evaporates, add the butter and allow it to melt. Add flour slowly while stirring. You’re looking for the consistency of wet sand which is why I left the measurement a little open ended.
9. Add milk slowly while stirring the mixture. I suggest half a cup at a time. It’s important to keep the product moving to avoid lumps or scorching the chowder.
10. Once all the milk has been added allow it to come up to a simmer while stirring occasionally. Then add the stock.
11. Put the potatoes in and allow it to simmer until potatoes are tender (about an hour)
12. Once tender, add the crab and serve hot. 

Directions (garnish):

1. In a hot pan, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter until it begins to brown. 
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about a minute. 
3. Add chives and lemon. 
4. Spoon on top of chowder