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Thursday, May 17, 2012
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This Week's Theme: 40 Fundamental Foods for the Serious Cook - Week 3

Today's Recipes: New England Clam Chowder & Manhattan Clam Chowder

"Where did you get this yummy recipe?"

"I didn't get it anywhere. I developed it myself."

"Developed it yourself? You mean you made it up? You created it?"

"Yup. It's fun. And I'm extra-proud of the recipes I develop on my own."

"How did you learn to develop recipes yourself?"

"This book helped."

Develop Your Own Recipes by Cynthia MacGregor

Available now from XoXo Publishing

Here's a good one from Irene DiCaprio:

I was dining in our Georgia town, when a tourist stopped by my table. "Excuse me,” he said. “My wife loves your sandals. Did you buy them somewhere locally?”

”Yes, just down the street,” I said.

“May I ask how much they cost?”

“They were $77.”

“Thank you.” He then hollered to his wife, “Honey, she got them in Florida!”

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This week's theme

• A Mother's Day Dinner

This week's recipes

• Crostini with Gorgonzola and Honey
• Cream of Sorrel Soup
• Creamed Peas and Onions
• Frog’s Legs Persille
• Nanaimo Bars

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Thanks to Jan Esterly for sharing this story of a substitution gone awry:

Several years ago we were invited to a party at a neighbor's house. We knew that this particular wife was not a foodie. We tried one of her crab puffs and it had an unusual taste. Definitely had crab, onion, and so forth, but still something was different. When we asked her what was in it, she said, "Oh, it called for mayonnaise but I didn't have any so I substituted something else". Now my mind went to substitutions like sour cream or yogurt. Then she said, "I used vanilla pudding." I guess she was going for consistency rather than flavor.

Yikes. Tell us about an interesting substitution you have run across by sending it to me with "Substitutions" in the subject.

Clam chowders made my list of the 40 Fundamental Foods because they are another example of the beauty of simple ingredients simply prepared, and because I am crazy about clam chowders of every type.

As far as the various types are concerned, the most often found variation is the cream-based version usually called New England clam chowder. Those with a tomato-based broth are usually called Manhattan clam chowder, and a version that has fish stock or bottled clam juice as its base, without either cream or tomatoes, is known as Rhode Island clam chowder.

Nothing beats a homemade version though, even if you can't get fresh clams. New Englanders swear that the soup tastes better if allowed to sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, before serving.

New England Clam Chowder

3 dozen hard shell clams, shucked, with their juices reserved (about 3 cups, 750 ml) or 2 cups (500 ml) canned chopped clams
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) dice (about 2 cups, 500 ml)
2 oz (50 g) salt pork or bacon, cut into 1/4 inch (5 mm) dice
1 cup (250 ml) finely chopped onions
2 cups (500 ml) milk
1/2 (125 ml) cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tsp (20 ml) butter (optional)

If using fresh clams separate the soft part of the clams (stomach) from the hard part surrounding it. Finely chop the hard part and set aside, and slice each soft part in two and reserve separately. Strain the clam liquor through two layers of cheesecloth and set aside. If using canned clams, drain the clams in a fine sieve over a bowl and reserve the liquid. In a large soup pot saute the salt pork over low heat until crisp and they have rendered all their fat. Remove and reserve. Add the onions to the fat remaining in the pot and cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, until they are translucent but not brown. Stir in the reserved clam liquor, the finely chopped fresh clams (do not add canned clams at this point), the milk, and the potatoes. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the reserved soft parts of the clams (or the canned clams), the reserved salt pork or bacon, and the cream, and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Allow to rest off heat for one to two hours, then reheat immediately before serving. Ladle into warm bowls, and place a teaspoon (5 ml) of butter on top of each serving (optional, but very traditional). Serves 4.

No one knows why tomato-based clam chowder is called Manhattan clam chowder, especially since it was first
documented in Rhode Island in the 1830s. Regardless of its provenance, it's an American classic.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

2 oz (50 g) salt pork, cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) dice
3 dozen hard shell clams, shucked, with their juices reserved (about 3 cups, 750 ml) or 2 cups (500 ml) canned chopped clams
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) clam liquor reserved from the fresh clams, or bottled clam juice
6 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) dice
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 green bell pepper (capsicum), chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) tomato paste
1 bay (laurel) leaf
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Brown the salt pork in a skillet over moderate heat until golden. Drain on paper towels and combine with the remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 2 hours. The taste improves if refrigerated overnight. Serves 4 to 6.

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Barbara Forsythe, Editor

I love good wine, but I am not a wine snob. I used to be, but it was too much trouble, and finally too boring. I used to know all the vineyards and all the good years and bad years, and I was able to rattle them off, and then I grew up and realized how incredibly tedious wine snobs are, and I've lived happily ever after. Drinking fairly well, thank you very much. I do have a few friends who really do know their wines and care a great deal about them, and I'm very impressed and appreciative of their knowledge. They are not phonies. If you really know and care about wines and even have your own cellar, serve it to your guests' delight. But don't go on about it all night the way some cooks go on about their food. The only thing worse than a wine snob is a wine bore. And never try to fake knowledge about wine. There is always someone who will know more than you do, and you will inevitably end up looking like an ass. I know. I've been there.

Sally Quinn, from "The Party"

Please address your comments regarding "The Last Morsel" to editor Barbara Forsythe at Barbara@wwrecipes.com

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