Have you ever wondered why some soups are classified as “chowders”?
Chowder is a rather loose category, but usually indicates a soup that is rich and creamy with chunks of seafood and vegetables. The most famous, of course, is New England Clam Chowder. The word “chowder” evolved from the French word “chaudiere,” the name of the pot in which French fisherman would boil samples of their catches with potatoes and other vegetables. French settlers in the New England colonies introduced the culinary tradition to America. “Chowder” first appeared in a written recipe in 1751. By the 1800s, American cooks started to use mostly clams instead of fish because of the abundance of shellfish in the northeast.
(Source: http://www.souphoopla.com/chowder-soups.html)
If you feel inspired to connect with our colonial roots, try out our Corn and Crab Chowder recipe. Or, whip up our Tomato Basil Bisque too– just for comparison’s sake.
Corn and Crab Chowder
For the “Base”
Ingredients:
1 each Red Peppers
1 each Green Peppers
1 each Small Jalapeno peppers
1 stalks Celery, chopped
1 each Yellow Onion
½ tbsp. Garlic, minced
¼ lbs. Butter
½ cups A.P. Flour
2 lbs. Frozen Corn
1 qt. Clam Juice
2 qt. Water
1 lbs. Crab Claw meat
Method: Sauté all the vegetables (except corn) in the Butter. Add the Flour and cook for a minute (scrape the bottom of the pot!!!) Add clam juice, Water and Simmer for 20 minutes and remove from heat, Add Corn and Crab, cool and store in a labeled, dated plastic container.
For service
2 qt. Corn and Crab Chowder base
2 cups Half and Half
1 cup Heavy Cream
To taste Lime Juice
To taste Salt and Pepper mix
As needed Cornstarch Slurry
Method: Combine, base, and dairy products. Bring the soup to a simmer, season to taste and thicken if necessary.
Note: This soup should have a “slow burn” and be relatively thick. The Lime juice is used to keep it from being too flat and/or heavy
Tomato Basil Bisque
Yield: 10 portions
Ingredients:
2 quarts Diced Tomatoes in Juice
1 each Yellow Onion, small, chopped
½ tbsp. Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ each 6 ounce can Tomato paste
1 each Bay Leaves
1 qt Heavy Cream and Half & Half
to taste Salt & Pepper
Method: Sauté onions in olive oil, add garlic, tomato paste. Add Diced tomatoes, bay and basil, Simmer for fifteen minutes. Puree, add cream and season to taste.
