Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [30]
Clam Chowder
Although it’s most often called “New England clam chowder,” each state in the Northeast has its own chowder. This recipe is based on what is served in Massachusetts, where I spent time growing up. The original recipes call for salt pork, but I like the flavor that thick-cut bacon brings to this hearty soup.
8 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
Two 8-ounce bottles clam juice
5 medium red or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks
Three 10-ounce cans chopped or minced clams, with their juice
1 bay leaf
2 cups milk
cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and remove it to paper towels to drain. Remove all but ¼ cup of the bacon drippings from the skillet.
add the onion, celery, and thyme and sauté until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking the roux constantly. Gradually stir in the broth and clam juice and bring to a boil.
transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the potatoes, clams, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours, until the potatoes are tender.
stir in the bacon and milk. Cover and cook for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the soup is heated through.
remove the bay leaf before serving.
serves 8
Spicy Manhattan-Style Clam Chowder
As a child I loved this chowder because it was so different from its creamy New England cousins. Thyme, tomato, clams, and vegetables flavor the soup, giving it great character. Tomato-based chowders started appearing the mid-1800s when Italian and Portuguese fishermen started adding tomatoes to chowder rather than cream or milk. Some say this was originally called “Fulton Market Clam Chowder,” but whatever you call it, it is a satisfying meal any day of the week.
8 strips bacon, cut into ½-inch slices
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
One 14- to 15-ounce can tomato purée
Two 10-ounce cans chopped or minced clams, with their juice
One 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1 bay leaf
5 medium Yukon gold or red potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp and remove it to paper towels to drain. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings.
add the onions, celery, and thyme and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.
stir in the remaining ingredients, except the salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
remove the bay leaf before serving.
serves 8
Shrimp Chowder
Plump shrimp, spicy Old Bay seasoning, and smoky bacon give this chowder lots of personality and pizzazz. Serve this in hollowed-out sourdough bread bowls for a great casual meal.
8 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
Two 8-ounce bottles clam juice
5 medium red or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks
1 bay leaf
1½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnishing
¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives for garnishing
cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and remove it to paper towels to drain. Remove all but ¼ cup of the bacon drippings from the skillet.
add the onion, celery, thyme, and seasoning and sauté until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the flour