Table for Two - What Can I Do with Canned Clams?

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know it's a burning question and you've been waiting years for an answer. Fear not, your long wait is over. Not only do I have two recipes that use canned clams, they are also scaled to feed just two people. Around here, we call that a double whammy and as such, they both deserve to be included in our Table for Two recipe collection. Both recipes are fast and simple to execute and, despite their use of canned clams and broth, they both produce a great family meal that I know your crew will enjoy. If you find either dish lacking in flavor or substance, you can, of course, add more garlic or another can of clams, but I think you'll be pleased with the results if you follow the recipes exactly as they are written. I do hope you'll take your can opener in hand and give one or both of them a try. Here is how they are made.

Salt Cod and Corn Chowder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Salt cod is seasonally available in the community where I live. It can be purchased November through January, but once the inventory stocked for the holidays is gone, cooks who have come to enjoy this salted treasure are pretty much on their own. I shamefully admit to hoarding salt-dried cod and may be the only cook in my community who buys it in 5 pound lots. While I suspect it is an acquired taste, the Silver Fox and I have come to love several salt cod preparations, and I make it a point to serve them during the holiday season. Our favorite is a dish called brandade du morue which comes from Provence. It is hearty and delicious and an absolutely perfect way to use the flaky and toothsome salt cod. The trouble is, I'm always left with a small portion of unused cod when I make it, so I was delighted when I stumbled on this recipe in a 2010 issue of Fine Cooking magazine. This chowder is a study in simplicity, and were it not for the need to soak the fish for at least a day before serving, it could be on the table in less than an hour. Now, I must warn any of you who have never sampled a dish made with salt cod that it has a unique taste that will carry the dish. Some love it, others don't. This chowder has a thin broth with a consistency like that of an oyster stew, so, if you plan to serve it for dinner, make sure to provide a salad and crisp peasant bread to help extend the meal. Salt pork is another item that can be hard to find outside of large city markets, but blanched bacon can be substituted if needs be. I hope those of you who have a source for salt cod will give this recipe a try. It is simple to prepare and it makes a uniquely flavorful bowl of chowder. Here is how it is made. 

Frugal Foodie Friday - Mo's Clam Chowder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've had a wonderful week. My sister has been visiting, and for this brief period of time, the threads of past and present have been so tightly woven that not even light can't pass. It's been a busy time and we've shared some of our favorite haunts with her, cramming into days a decade's worth of discoveries and day-trip adventures. No trip to Oregon would be complete without a visit to the coast and no visit to the coast would be complete without a visit to the legendary Mo's for a cup of their chowder, which many argue is the best in the land. I decided to feature a Mo's-type chowder for Frugal Foodie Friday so you could judge for yourself. This particular recipe was featured on "AM Northwest" and it purports to be a home-sized version of the recipe used in the restaurant kitchen. One of our local warehouse stores sells canned sea clams at a price that brings the cost of this chowder in line with other Frugal Friday dishes. Do try the recipe. It makes a chowder that might not be the best in the land, but it is very, very nice and has the added advantage of being quite simple to make. Here is the recipe.

Clam Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of AM Northwest

Ingredients:
1 (51 oz.) can of chopped Sea Clams
3-1/2 cups clam nectar drained from the Clams, add water if needed
4 cups diced russet potatoes, about 1/2"
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup ground or finely diced bacon
4-1/2 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1) Drain clams, reserving broth to make 3-1/2 cups liquid. Add water if necessary. Place liquid in a 4 quart saucepan.
2) Add potatoes and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and turn to low heat to cook potatoes until soft but not mushy, about 7 minutes.
3) In a medium sized skillet, brown bacon over medium heat, stirring to brown evenly.  When bacon begins to crisp and has rendered its fat, add onion and continue stirring until onion is translucent.
4) Add 1 tablespoon butter to bacon and onion mixture. Add flour and stir constantly to incorporate.
5) Add chopped clams to milk and potato mixture. Heat until very hot, but do not boil.
6) When bacon and onion roux mixture is bubbling, add it to potato and clam mixture and stir to mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes. The chowder will become thick and creamy. If it is too thick thin with milk or cream. Adjust seasoning to taste. Yield: 6 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Fettuccini with Sausage Broccoli and Cheese

Two Years Ago Today: Viennese Chocolate Pepper Cookies

Three Years Ago Today: Zucchini Gratin

Four Years Ago Today: Chipotle-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Frugal Foodie Friday - Chupe de Pollo con Chipotle (Peruvian Chicken Chowder)

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first had this soup when we were in Peru and it was love at first bite. Unfortunately, I could find no one willing to share the recipe for this chowder with me, and it was not featured in any of the cookbooks I had purchased while in-country. I did search for a recipe once we were home, but most that I found were in Spanish, required metric conversion and called for ingredients that were not available in most areas of the United States. Translation and conversion could grudgingly be handled, but as there was no way to obtain the missing ingredients, I ended my search and the chowder became a pleasant memory. Several months ago, while searching for something completely unrelated, I found a workable version of the recipe in an old issue of Cooking Light magazine. It was not truly authentic, but it sounded delicious and I was willing to give it a try. It was a serendipitous find, and since that first trial, we've had the chowder several times and I must tell you that it is inching way into my list of favorite soups. It rained and rained and rained today, so I decided to beat back the gray with  lunch  bowls of this bright and sunny chowder. While I was gathering the ingredients for it, it dawned on me that its low cost  would make it  a perfect feature for Frugal Foodie Friday. The recipe is straightforward save for one direction that can be misleading. The ingredient list calls for  a can of  chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Don't be alarmed. From that can you will need just one pepper and 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce. The rest is saved for another day. For the record, an immersion blender can  be used to make short work of pureeing the chowder base, and boneless chicken thighs can be used in place of  breast meat. This makes a wonderful fall soup and I really hope you will give it a try. Here is how the chowder is made.

Chupe de Pollo con Chipotle Peruvian Chicken Chowder)...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients:
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
6 garlic cloves, crushed
6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 medium red potatoes (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (15.5-ounce) can white or golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup chopped seeded plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 lime wedges

Directions:
1) Remove 1 chile and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Finely chop chile; set chile and sauce aside separately.
2) Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped chile, onion, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); cook 7 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, and cool slightly. Shred chicken with 2 forks; cover and keep warm. Remove pan from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
3) Place one-third of broth mixture in a blender and process until smooth. Pour pureed broth mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure in two more batches with remaining broth mixture. Return pureed broth mixture to pan. Stir in potatoes and hominy; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in chicken and cream; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in reserved adobo sauce, tomato, cilantro, and salt. Serve with lime wedges. Yield: 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Asian-Style Rice Noodle Salad

Two Years Ago Today: Tricolor Pepper and Wild Rice Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Cauliflower Soup

Four Years Ago Today: Cucumber and Feta Dip

Portuguese Clam Chowder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This hearty chowder is easy to make but it is expensive to prepare. That being said, if you can afford it, this is one-pot cooking at its finest and I make it a point to serve it at least once each summer. The chowder is traditionally made with salt cod, though any firm fresh fish can be substituted if you don't want to be bothered with soaking the salted variety. While I have my clams shucked at the fish market, the job can be easily done at home if you put the clams in the freezer and chill them until their hinge muscles relax. If you happen to have a fennel bulb in your fridge, by all means slice and cook it along with the onions. It makes a wonderful addition to the chowder. Another addition, not included in the recipe, is a cup or two of small shrimp or bay scallops. Because I serve this so infrequently, I tend to go all out when I make it and my chowder is light on potatoes and heavy on seafood. I like to serve it with a green salad and crusty bread and I've found the combination to be substantial enough to serve for guests. Here is how it is made.

Portuguese Clam Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspiredby Emeril LaGasse

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 to 8 ounces linguica, chopped
1 cup chopped onions
3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 dozen cherrystone clams, shucked, in their liquid
1/2 pound fresh cod or salt cod, soaked, rinsed and diced
2 cups chicken stock
4 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pan. When oil shimmers, add linguica and cook until it begins to render fat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions and celery and continue to cook until vegetables wilt, about 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes and garlic, saute for 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes, reserved clam liquid and salt cod. Add chicken stock and white wine. Season with salt and pepper. Bring liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add clams and parsley, cover, and continue simmering for 3 minutes. Ladle the chowder in a shallow bowl. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Pease Porridge Pasta

Two Years Ago Today: Corn and Barley Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Four Years Ago Today: Cajun Shrimp Etouffee

Gold Beach Winter Chowder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you have 15 minutes and a few basic ingredients in your freezer, this lovely winter chowder will lure you to your kitchen the way the sirens lured the Argonauts to the Sirenuse. You'll need a pound of frozen shrimp, a pound of frozen corn and some potatoes to get started. Several times a year a local grocery chain sells 2 pound bags of extra large shrimp for around $12. I usually buy 6 bags at a time, so I always have shrimp in my freezer for a quick weeknight meal. When I saw this recipe in Family Circle magazine, I knew I had to give it a try and I pulled a pound of shrimp from my stash. I did make a few changes to the original version of the recipe. I substituted Yukon Gold potatoes for consistent color and frozen shoepeg corn for tenderness, I also swapped a cup of chicken broth with a quickly made shrimp stock. The stock was embarrassingly simple to make. I covered the shells from a pound of shrimp with three cups of water and boiled them until the liquid was reduced to one cup. I used that cup to replace a cup of stock in the Family Circle recipe. Forty-five minutes later, I had a chowder that was thick and creamy and thoroughly enjoyable. I have one caution. This should be served shortly after it is made. The corn and the shrimp toughen when they are reheated and the chowder, while still good, is just never quite the same. This is a wonderful family recipe and it is perfect for a winter night. It is quick and uncomplicated to make and if your family enjoys chowder, I think they'll love this one. Here's how it is made.

Gold Beach Winter Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small leeks, cleaned and sliced
2 large Yukon gold potatoes (about 12 oz), peeled and cubed
1 cup shrimp stock
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cups frozen corn kernels (shoepeg if possible), thawed
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 sweet yellow pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 sweet orange pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and cut with scissors into thirds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Directions:
1) Shell shrimp. Place shells in a medium pot. Cover with 3 cups water and boil until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Drain shells reserving stock.
2) In a large pot melt butter over medium heat and add leeks; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potato, shrimp and chicken broth and corn kernels. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3) Combine half-and-half and cornstarch; stir into pot. Add Old Bay seasoning and bring to a simmer. Add peppers and shrimp; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and hot sauce. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: West African Peanut Soup  - Groundnut Stew

Two Years Ago Today: Conchas - Mexican Shell-Shaped Sweet Rolls

Three Years Ago Today: Drop Biscuits with Cheddar Cheese and Garlic Butter

Corn and Cod Chowder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had to stop myself and take a really deep breath today. I have a stubborn sensibility that refuses to acknowledge that I can't change the amount of time it takes the earth to move around the sun. I was reminded of that today while shampooing carpets that should have been cleaned several weeks ago. Our big Christmas "do"  will be on Sunday and I still have a huge list of things that must be done. There are reasons, some of them actually valid, to explain why my chore list had grown to the size of a child's Christmas list. I won't bore you with them, other than to say that life got in the way and I dropped one or two of the balls I was trying to keep in the air. A coffee break helped me realize that none of the dropped balls had actually broken and if I segmented the remaining tasks everything would get done in time. Then I had another cup of coffee, and tonight I'm happy to report all the surfaces we walk on sparkle. As a matter-of-fact, you could perform surgery on them. I really have been busy and with days so tightly packed I've been relying on simple meals to free my hands for the outstanding tasks at hand. I thought some of you might be able to use the recipes to simplify your own dinner preparation at this busy time of year. Most of the recipes I'll be featuring this week are quick and easy to prepare.The first is a cod and corn chowder whose name is misleading. The chowder is thinner in consistency than most, but it has remarkable flavor and when served with a salad and crusty bread it makes an ideal light meal. I really think you will enjoy it. Here's how it is made.

Corn and Cod Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
1/4 pound sliced bacon
1 tablespoon butter
2 onions, chopped
2 cups water
1 cup bottled clam juice
3/4 pound boiling potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 rib celery, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups fresh (cut from about 3 ears) or frozen corn kernels
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions:
1) In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels and crumble when cooled.
2) Add butter and onions to pot. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
3) Add water, clam juice, potatoes, celery, red-pepper flakes, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
4) Return bacon to pot. Add corn, milk, and cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cod and pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook until just done, about 3 minu or ocean perch, tes longer. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Notes: Any firm mild fish that won't disintegrate, such as pollack, orange roughy, can be used in the soup.

One Year Ago Today: Apple Walnut Bread

Two Years Ago Today: Assorted Christmas Confections

Three Years Ago Today: Florentine Lace Cookies

Shaker Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We spent a day at Canterbury Village while we vacationed in New Hampshire this summer. The village, at its height, was a large and successful Shaker community. While politics, philosophy and religion are difficult to fit within the confines of a food blog, the Shakers and the food that came from their kitchens is fair game, at least as far as I'm concerned. While I took in all of the exhibits and demonstrations, I spent most of my day in the kitchens and laundry of the village. I was fascinated by all the community endeavors, but as my family and co-workers will attest, I ride brooms, I don't make them. I belonged in the kitchen. The kitchens, which at one time fed 300 people, were compact and models of Shaker skill and ingenuity. For readers across the ponds, be they east or west, the Shakers were a communal religious group whose radical interpretation of equality led to their growth in the 19th century and their demise in the 20th. They believed that men and women were children of God, brothers and sisters if you will, and that all God's children should be treated equally. An extention of that belief caused the communities they established to be celibate because in their view, brothers and sisters should not cohabitate. While that belief would eventually lead to their demise, it was not an impediment to followers who joined the communities during the 19th century. The Shakers, so named because expressive dance was part of their religious services, were known for their industry, invention and good works. They actually established the first orphanages in the United States. Shaker kitchens were also models of efficiency and small changes made to a handful of base recipes led to their reputations as great cooks. Soups and chowders were regularly served at meals in their communal dining halls, and today's featured chowder shows how their recipes can be manipulated. Brown sugar and sweet potatoes are added to a basic Shaker dish. The result is wonderful, if you are cautious. I'm going to suggest that you cut way back on the amount of sugar added to the chowder. I used just one tablespoon and was happy with the results. It is also important to drain away the bacon fat before adding stock to the pot. The goal here is flavor not grease. While this chowder is chock-full of goodies, it has a thin base. If you want a thicker chowder you'll have to add flour or cornstarch to the broth. While their is some chopping involved, the chowder can still be on the table within an hour and I must tell you, it is delicious. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here's how the chowder is made.

Shaker Sweet Potato and Fresh Corn Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of The Shaker Kitchen by Jeffrey Paige

Ingredients:
1/2 pound smoked slab bacon, diced
1-1/2 pounds red bliss potatoes, scrubbed
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (1/4-inch dice)
4-5 cups chicken stock, or to cover
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked until just tender
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
1) Fry bacon in a large soup pot set over medium heat just until it starts to crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, quarter and slice red potatoes about 1/4-inch thick. Add onions and bay leaves to bacon, and cook until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully drain off bacon grease and discard.
2) Add sweet and red potatoes to soup pot, add enough stock to cover potatoes, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add brown sugar, corn, parsley, scallions, and cream, and cook until heated through, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

Two Years Ago Today: Glazed Ham Loaf

Three Years Ago Today: Whole Wheat Olive Flat Bread

Maine Shrimp Chowder - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a light and lovely soup that's more like an oyster stew than a traditional seafood chowder. Save for shrimp and potatoes, there is little in this soup to distract from the briny taste of its creamy, but thin, broth. A traditional chowder has a base of bacon and is thickened with crushed crackers or a roux. They were originally made with chunks of fish and vegetables that were boiled in a large pot that the French called a "Chaudiere." The Chaudiere named both the cooking vessel and the stew that cooked in it. Over time, the word was corrupted by our New England ancestors and the stew became known as a chowder. Today's chowder contains no bacon, and no thickener of any type is added to the milk or cream in which the shrimp are simmered. This is a really easy dish to make. If you are at all skilled with a knife, you can move this simple meal from pot to table in less than 45 minutes. I found the recipe at Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes, a wonderful blog that I hope you all will visit. I've made some small changes to the recipe. I cut all ingredients in half because this type of chowder doesn't reheat well. I also utilized the shrimp shells to help flavor the chowder base. While you can use light cream or half-and-half to make a slightly richer chowder, an effort to make it less rich by using reduced fat milk will yield disappointing results.. I know that those of you who try this chowder will love it. Here's the recipe.

Maine Shrimp Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Mary at Ocean Breezes, Country Sneezes

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh shrimp in shells
2 cups light cream, half-and-half or whole milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 large onion sliced
2 tablespoons butter
3 medium russet potatoes, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1) In a medium saucepan, bring cream or milk to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low.
2) Shell and de-vein shrimp. Rinse shells and place in pan with simmering cream. Cover and simmer very gently for 15 minutes. Pour cream or milk through a sieve. Discard shells. Add cheese and stir until cheese melts. Keep warm.
3) Meanwhile, saute onions in hot butter in deep pot until tender. Add boiling water, then sliced potatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer covered 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Then add shrimp, and hot milk and simmer just until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Bouillabaisse - The Hunger Struck
Fish Soup - Tobias Cooks
Oyster Stew - Seriously Soupy
Provencal Seafood Bisque - Simply Recipes
Swedish Fish Soup - Klutzy Chef
Fish and Shellfish Soup, Spanish Style - The Winter Guest
Seafood Bourride - Blue Kitchen
Manhattan Clam Chowder - One Perfect Bite
New England Clam Chowder - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

♬ Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise - New Year's Eve 2010 ♬

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I can think of no better way to usher in the New Year than in the company of family and good friends. The New Year here is heralded with a show of fireworks to mark the passage of one year to the next. At midnight Bob and I, and those with us, will stand, glass in hand, to propose a toast to absent friends, those separated from us by time and place, as well as those who have made the final journey home. All are remembered with great joy as we recall the lessons they have taught us and the richness they have brought our lives. I treasure the time they spent at my table and their places there will always be reserved. I include you in their number and wish each of you a healthy and prosperous New Year. Here's to absent friends. Here's to all of you. Happy New Year.

Please don't miss the short film clip at the end of this post. It is the farewell waltz scene from the movie, Waterloo Bridge. It is lovely and quite appropriate for New Year's Eve.

Our holiday season doesn't end until the 2nd of January and that means special dinners are served on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The meals are rarely difficult to prepare, but they always have a festive air about them. I decided to make bouillabaisse this year because I had a new supply of saffron and knew everyone would enjoy the novelty and casual elegance of this dish. The folks at my local fish market were co-conspirators in its creation, and helped to find fish that would provide the flavor I needed without breaking the bank. My version of this dish is based on Julia Child's Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise. Bouillabaisse is really a fish chowder which contains a variety of fish that is simmered in an aromatic fish broth. The chowder is eaten from shallow soup bowls and often served with toasted bread and a garnish of rouille. Rouille is a rust colored sauce that can be stirred into the bouillabaisse or spread on croutons that usually accompany the soup. For best flavor six or more varieties of fish should be used to make the chowder. That is why it makes no sense to make this dish for fewer than six people. Some of the fish should be firm fleshed and gelatinous, like halibut; some should be tender and flaky like sole. The firm fish hold their shape, and the tender fish partially disperse in the soup. Shellfish are optional, but I truly can't imagine a bouillabaisse without them. The fish can be prepared several hours before cooking and refrigerated until needed. The soup base can be made a day ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Once the soup stock is brought to a boil, it will take about 20 minutes to cook the fish. The bouillabaisse should be served immediately with a crusty bread and rouille. It is an altogether lovely meal. The recipe for bouillabaisse and rouille appear below.

Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Julia Child

Chowder Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped leek
4 cloves mashed garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
2-1/2 quarts water
Sprigs of fresh herbs: thyme, parsley, fennel fronds and basil (in any combination)
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 pounds fish heads, bones, trimmings, shrimp shells
1-1/2 pounds each peeled shrimp; wild cod, halibut and sole cut into chunks
1-1/2 pounds scrubbed and debearded or clams
Toasted rustic bread
Rouille

Chowder Directions:
Heat oil in a tall 6 to 8 quart pot over medium heat; add onion and leek and cook gently until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant, then add tomato paste, water, herbs, saffron, salt and fish bones. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat so broth bubbles slowly without boiling. Cook 30 minutes, then strain broth into a large bowl or another pot, discarding solids. Pour broth back into stockpot and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink, a minute or two. Add rest of the fish and shellfish, cover and simmer until the mussels or clams open. Taste soup and add more salt and freshly ground pepper if needed. Serve bouillabaisse with toasted bread and rouille on the side. Yield: 6 servings.

Rouille Ingredients:
1 roasted and peeled red bell pepper
1 roasted hot red chile pepper or ground cayenne pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small peeled garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs or finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Rouille Directions:
Puree everything except olive oil in a food processor until smooth. Slowly add olive oil while processing to form a paste.


Auld Lang Syne



The Farewell Waltz

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Italian Fish Soup with Fresh Herbs, Fennel, Shallots and Garlic - Karista's Kitchen
Oyster Stew - Seriously Soupy
Icelandic Fish Soup - For the Love of Food
Provencal Seafood Bisque - Simply Recipes
Simple Fish Soup - Tobias Cooks
Swedish Fish Soup - Klutzy Chef
Zuppa di Pesce Alla Napoletana - Memorie di Angelina
Seafood Bourride - Blue Kitchen

Manhattan Clam Chowder

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe, developed at the Culinary Institute of America, caused me to change my mind about Manhattan clam chowder. I had, for years, scoffed at those who would order it as a soup of preference. I considered it to be nothing more than a vegetable soup into which a bunch of clams had been thrown. I needed to use the last of the canned clams with which I had been working and this recipe read well. I could find no reason not to make it, so I was off to the vegetable bin and chopping block and within an hour had a table ready meal. I was really surprised by how much I like this chowder. That just goes to show it doesn't pay to be a food snob. It would have been a shame not to have tried this. It will never replace its New England cousin but it is good enough to make into my rotation and it adds a bit of food lore to my collection as well. Did you know that legislators in Maine once tried to ban the use of tomatoes in chowder? While I suspect it must have been a slow legislative year, they swear its true. Come to think of it, I've never had Manhattan chowder in New England. Huh! While the CIA recipe, of course, used fresh clams, my exercise for these past few weeks has been to find ways to use the variety that comes in restaurant-sized cans. Two 51-ounce cans can be purchased at warehouse stores for around $12. That's enough clams to make four or five meals for an averaged sized family and that's a bargain by any standards. Here's the recipe.


Manhattan Clam Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of the CIA

Ingredients:
2 slices bacon, minced
2-1/2 cups diced leeks (white and light green parts)
1-1/4 cups diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced celery
1 cup diced red bell pepper (seeds and ribs removed)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 canned plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cups diced yellow or white potatoes (peeled)
3 cups bottled clam juice
1 cup tomato juice
1 bay leaf
Pinch dried thyme
3/4 cup canned clam meat + juice from cans (about 3/4 cup) or 3 dozen chowder clams, shucked, juices reserved
Salt as needed
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
Tabasco sauce as needed

Directions:
1) Cook bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crisp and browned, about 10 minutes.
2) Add leeks, onion, carrot, celery, pepper, and garlic. Cover pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
3) Add tomatoes, potatoes, clam juice, tomato juice, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add clams with their juices and simmer until the clams are cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes more.
4) Using a shallow, flat spoon, remove any fat from surface of chowder and discard. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Serve in heated bowls. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Beggar's Chowder - One Perfect Bite
East Hampton Clam Chowda - Family Spice
Slow Cooker Corn Chowder - Creatively Domestic
Oyster Stew - Seriously Soupy
Hearty Cheddar Chowder - The Daily Dish
Potato Chowder - Sweet Basil Kitchen
Fish Chowder - A Thought for Food
New England Clam Chowder - One Perfect Bite
Fresh Corn Chowder - Barbara Bakes
Salmon Chowder - One Perfect Bite

Clam Chowder

From the kichen of One Perfect Bite...In a perfect world garlic would be peeled and minced as needed, chicken stock would bubble gently on the stove, and kitchen shortcuts would be unheard of. I've been blessed with a near perfect life but it's spent in an imperfect world, so shortcuts abound in my kitchen. I not proud of them, mind you, but they are a real part of my life and there are nights that dinner would never make it to the table without them. I share them when I think they might be helpful, but for the most part they are my secrets and I reveal them in the same way you peel an onion, a layer at a time. Having said that, I suspect it won't surprise you to learn that I smile when the pros talk about shucking oysters or picking crab. I think it's important to know how to do those things, but, in the great scheme of things, I don't think it's necessary to actually do them. My bad attitude extends to clams as well. For years, I refused to make chowders with anything other than fresh clams and I'd pay premium prices to have them opened and chopped. My fishmonger loved to see me and my wallet coming. I still prefer to use fresh clams, but several years ago the warehouse stores started carrying restaurant-size cans of chopped clams and I have had them in my pantry ever since. They really are an acceptable alternative to fresh clams in dips, spreads, fritters and chowders. One of the problems that empty nesters encounter is the quantity of food that is produced when standard recipes are followed. Chowder is no exception. Several years ago Cook's Illustrated developed a chowder that used canned clams and was scaled to feed two people. It's a treasure of a recipe and if you enjoy chowder I hope you'll give it a try. A careful reading of the recipe will show it can easily be scaled up or down. I've made it for eight and I've made it for one. It works every time. There are a few things I want to share with you. I use 1/3 cup of drained, chopped clams for each can the recipe calls for. I use 1/4 cup finely chopped onion for each person I'll be feeding. One of the current oddities in recipe development is the push to list ingredients for some by weight rather than measure, while still calling for ballpark-general measures like half an onion or juice of a lime in others. What size onion? What size lime? I digress. This is a really nice recipe and those of you who try it will love it. The chowder is best made with heavy cream but it is workable with light cream or half-and-half. Here's the recipe.

Clam Chowder for Two...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
2 (6.5-ounce) cans minced clams
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
Water , if necessary
2 slices thick-cut bacon (about 2 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 onion , chopped fine
1 clove minced garlic
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large red potatoes (about 3/4 pound), scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Instructions:
1) Drain clams, reserving juices. Add bottled clam juice to reserved clam juice to measure 2-1/2 cups (if short, add enough water to make up difference).
2) Cook bacon in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion and cook until onion has softened and bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes.
3) Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and coat vegetables, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in clam broth. Stir in potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4) Stir in clams, cream, and parsley. Return to a simmer briefly, then remove from heat. Discard bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Yield: 2 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ginger and Clam Soup - RasaMalaysia
Linguine and Clams and Garlic White Wine Sauce - The Red Spoon
Cuban Clam Fritters with Cilantro Mayonnaise - Lazaro Cooks
Steamed Clams in a Beer, Lemon and Garlic Sauce - Boston Whine and Dine
Spicy Asian-Style Noodles with Clams - Very Culinary
Clams and Mussels in Tomato Broth - Magiandobene

Shrimp Chowder - Blue Monday

Commercial Shrimp Trawler



Shrimp Farming Pond



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Most of us love shrimp. Americans consume an estimated 1 billion pounds of shrimp a year, most of which comes from the oceans and farms of Asia and Latin America. The cha-ching ringing faintly in the background is the 3.8 billion dollars that that consumption adds to our trade deficit each year. That's food for thought on this Labor Day. Half the shrimp we now eat are farm-raised. Wild or farm-raised, shrimp should be firm and moist and have no off odors, especially ammonia. They usually come to market frozen and are sold by the number per pound, so shrimp labeled 26-30 will contain between 26 and 30 shrimp per pound. Most shrimp fall into four categories: white, pink, brown and black, with the white being, by far, the most popular. Recipes for shrimp abound. I didn't want to repeat one you already have, so I chose this chowder recipe instead. It was develop by Sam Hayward for Saveur magazine. Shrimp chowder is very light because no flour or other additive is used to thicken it. It's flavor comes from a broth that is quickly made from the shells of shrimp that are used to make the chowder. While it is thinner, the chowder contains the bacon and potatoes we've come to associate with chowder. I love this recipe. I hope you will too.

Shrimp Chowder...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 lbs. shell-on, shrimp
4 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large leek, white part only, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons snipped chives

Directions:
1) To make broth: Peel shells off shrimp, reserving for shrimp broth. Transfer shrimp to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chowder base is completed. Place shrimp shells in a large pot and add 10 cups cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to low and gently simmer for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to surface. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and set aside.
2) To make chowder base: Cook bacon in a small pot of simmering water for 1 minute. Drain. Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it releases some of its fat. Add potatoes and leeks, stir well, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of the reserved shrimp broth (freeze remainder for another use) and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 8–10 minutes. Remove the chowder base from the heat and cover to keep warm.
3) Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Raise heat to high, add chilled shrimp and cream, stir well, and bring to a boil. Let boil for 30 seconds. Add shrimp mixture to chowder base and stir gently to combine. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt, a generous amount of black pepper, and cayenne. Ladle into warm soup bowls and sprinkle chives on top of each. Yield: 4-6 servings.

This post is being linked to Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

New England Clam Chowder for Harried, Landlocked Cooks

When my parents moved from the east coast to the south side of Chicago, a recipe for clam chowder came with them. There was, however, a problem; fresh clams were not available in our landlocked neighborhood. My mother - God bless her - considered the midwest to be an outpost in the Sahara. Like it or not, she had to rely on canned clams and broth and she was able, after fits and starts, to make a PDG chowder. Over the years my recipe for clam chowder has changed from the one made by my mother. I've had help from the New York Times, Cook's Illustrated, Fine Cooking and an old Julia Child recipe for fish chowder. There's a bit of them all in today's recipe which uses canned clams. Why canned clams? They are readily available, inexpensive and easy to work with. They make it possible for a busy cook to produce a chowder in about 30 minutes and sometimes that's important. I can't tell you how important that's been at certain junctures in my life. This recipe also allows the use of canned clam broth. I must be honest here. We have shrimp several times a month. Rather than discard the shells I freeze them until I have enough of them to make a lovely fish broth that I can store in 1 cup containers. I use homemade broth whenever I can and while it produces an extraordinary depth of flavor, bottled clam broth will also produce a lovely chowder. I'm including a recipe for quick shrimp broth as well as my recipe for chowder. Both are easy to do. I hope you'll give them a try.

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces (about 4 slices) thick cut bacon, cut in 1/4-inch dice
2 cups diced yellow onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups shrimp stock
.........or........
2 (8-oz.) bottles clam broth + 1 cup water
4 (6.5-oz.) cans drained chopped clams, juices reserved
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch dice
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Heat vegetable oil in a soup kettle over medium heat. Add bacon and saute until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Add onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with flour and stir until lightly colored. Slowly stir in broth, reserved clam broth and water if using. Add potatoes, bay leaf and thyme; simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
2) Add clams, cream, and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Shrimp Broth

Ingredients:
Shells from 3 pounds shrimp
5 cups water
6 black peppercorns
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onions
2 ribs celery coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf

Directions:
1) Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and strain.
2) Freeze in labeled 1 cup containers. Yield: 4 cups.

I'm submitting this recipe to Regional Recipes, a food blogging event created by Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok, in which a different culture and cuisine is explored each month. JS and TS of Eating Club Vancouver are hosting this month's event which spotlights America.

Beggar's Chowder - A Crock-Pot Recipe

Who said beggars can't be choosers? This plain Jane recipe won the last Rival Crocktober competition - my first big win. As a matter of fact, it's my only big win. Despite that, I've kept my sense of humor and a sure belief that lightening can strike twice, if you're willing to fly kites and stand under tall trees in thunderstorms. I do dumb stuff like that. I've made this recipe, in one form or another, for decades. It first simmered on a two burner stove in the basement apartment that was our first home. In those days the chowder was made with turkey necks and truly was a beggar's chowder. It stayed in my recipe rotation as we moved uptown and ended up in the kitchen of the Institute for Culinary Education where it was judged best of show. If you're always on the lookout for crock-pot recipes, give this one a try. It will not disappoint.

Beggar's Chowder

Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 skinless, bone-in turkey thighs, trimmed of visible fat
Cooking spray
2 (14.75-ounce) cans creamed style sweet corn
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed chicken broth, undiluted
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 pound cleaned, stemmed white mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup cilantro or parsley
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1) Combine butter, flour, garlic salt, pepper, thyme and paprika in a small (1 quart) mixing bowl. Using the back of a wooden spoon, work the mixture to form a smooth paste. Rub the paste into all sides of the turkey thighs.
2) Spray the stoneware insert of a 5 1/2 - 6 quart slow cooker with a nonstick cooking spray. Place peppers and onions in stoneware. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and microwave, covered, on HIGH power for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Put the turkey thighs in the bottom of the stoneware; cover with the the creamed corn and the undiluted chicken broth. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or until the turkey is fork tender.
3) Remove the turkey thighs from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. While the turkey cools add the mushrooms and diced tomatoes to the liquid in the stoneware; cover the pot and continue to cook for 1/2 hour more.
4) While the mushrooms are cooking, remove the turkey meat from the bones in bite size pieces.
5) When the mushrooms are tender, return the turkey to the chowder; add the heavy cream and the cilantro or parsley and cook, covered, until heated through, about 15 minutes more. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Yield: 8 servings.