Vicki's Home Made Clam Chowder

In the interests of giving myself a break, and I'm going to need one, I have decided to occasionally share some recipes.  For dinner on Memorial Day, while drinking wine, which makes the whole process so much more enjoyable,  I made clam chowder.

VICK'S CLAM CHOWDER

4   medium white potatoes

3  large carrots

3 stalks celery

1/2  an onion

Clams,  fresh if you have them, canned if you don't, however many you like--3 to 4 cans, or I had about 2 cups fresh.

1 anaheim pepper

1 pkg or about 1 1/2 cups sliced, fresh mushrooms

4 cups fat-free half & half

margarine or butter

salt, about 2 teaspoons

Season salt (we use Johnnie's No MSG), about 1/2 a teaspoon

cayenne pepper, 2-4 shakes

nutmeg, 3 good shakes

green onion and grated cheese to top

 

It looks like brains, but it's not.  These are cooked clams.  If you buy canned, you don't need to worry about it, but if you have fresh clams, boil them beforehand and let them cool before you chop them as small as you can.  Also, if fresh, please let them clean themselves out properly before cooking so that you're not eating sand and they have less, well, dark poop in their bellies.  Also cut off the dark necks.  They're gross.

Cube your potatoes really small.  This is why drinking while cooking is recommended.  It alleviates the boredom of all this fine chopping.  Put cubed potatoes in a microwave-safe dish, cover with water, and nuke on high for about 10 minutes, however long it takes to get them soft, but not turn to mush.  Drain.

Chop really fine the carrots and celery.  Saute in a skillet with butter or margarine.  (Usually I use olive oil for everything, but not for this.  It just doesn't taste right).

Finely chop the onion and anaheim pepper and add to skillet.  After a few minutes, add in the mushrooms.  Cook everything until it is soft, but not burnt or mushy.

This is toward the end of the sauteing process.  Note that the mushrooms are just barely cooked, they still have some firmness to them, but the carrots are quite soft.  Although everything ends up in one pan, do NOT throw everything in at once or you will have crappy chowder and it won't be because I didn't warn you.

Now it is time to assemble.  Get a BIG pot.  Nothing worse than trying to fit everything in something that is too small and just don't think about what a hassle washing that pot will be.  Console yourself with a refill on your wine, if need be.

In your big pot, dump your potatoes, clams, contents of the saute pan and about 4 cups or so of the fat-free half & half.  Turn on the heat.  Keep it medium to low.  Please don't cook it on high.  Everything is actually already cooked at this point.  You don't want to cook the ingredients of a cream-based soup in a cream.  You will get under-done vegies and scorched milk if you do.  So everything is cooked before hand and then assembled. This also makes for more complex flavors.

Seasoning:  throw it all in.  Of the above-listed ingredients, I mean.  Salt, season salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.  That's all.  Simpler is better.  Trust me on this.

While your chowder heats through, bring just to a boil or simmer, chop up green onions for garnish and shred whatever cheese suits your fancy.  I have a thing about cheese and can think of all kinds of good, smelly possibilities, but I'm also a lazy soul.  I bought a bag of pre-shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend, which has nothing really to do with Mexican food.  You're done.  Maybe make or buy some rolls to go with it.  Enjoy!

 

The finished product.

 

My vegetarian became a piscatarian for one meal.

 

Another happy camper--and a fellow cheese addict.  Notice that you can't even see the chowder for all the cheese on top.  This chowder was quite good, but cheese can cover up a multitude of sins.

Foot note:  I need a break because today I am a chaperon on an 8th grade field trip/ scavenger hunt through downtown Portland.  Whatever was I thinking?  Mick just laughed yesterday morning, shook his head and said, "You're going to be miserable."

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Foot note: I need a break because today I am a chaperon on an 8th grade field trip/ scavenger hunt through downtown Portland. Whatever was I thinking? Mick just laughed yesterday morning, shook his head and said, "You're going to be miserable."