"We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention."
Here is a fabulous
recipe for a quick and easy clam chowder that I tried last week.
Adapted from Cook’s
Illustrated, this was easy to put together and was
surprisingly delicious.
Not thick enough in my
book for bread bowls, it was perfect with served with a crusty roll
and my husband, who is a self-proclaimed clam chowder afficionado,
declared it a “make-again.” That’s pretty high
praise.
I actually loved the
fact that it seemed a bit lighter in texture and consistency (not
heavy and glue-y) than other clam chowders I’ve made. The bacon
adds great smokiness and flavor and is perfect paired with the
silkiness of the cream. My only advice is don’t oversalt the
soup — the bacon and clams add just the right amount of salt
without being too overpowering!
Fry bacon in medium saucepan (I
used a medium enameled Dutch oven) over medium-low heat until fat
renders and bacon crisps, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion to bacon; sauté
until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour; stir until lightly
colored, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in bottled clam juice,
reserved clam juice from clams, and water. Add potatoes, bay leaves,
and thyme; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 6 minutes (don’t
overcook the potatoes or they will become mushy after adding the
cream and bringing to a simmer!). Add clams, cream, parsley, and
salt and ground pepper to taste (be careful not to oversalt!); bring
to simmer.
Melanie Gunnell is a food-loving, chocolate-obsessed mom who has a desperate need to share
her favorite tried-and-true recipes with the world. In a past life she graduated from Brigham
Young University with a degree in public health, but for the past ten years, stay-at-home
motherhood has been her job along with blogging-from-home for the past five.
She resides in the brilliantly cold tundra of Northern Minnesota with her husband and their brood
of five children: four boys and one tiny, bossy girl. Dark chocolate (particularly the act of
shoving chocolate chips in her mouth whilst hiding in the pantry) is her coping skill of choice for
both the never-ending winters and the never-ending wrestling matches in her front room.