What would YOU add to New England Clam Chowder?!
Answers: I love this soup and have made it for decades, I'm just looking for some variations on how to make this most excellent soup even better, if that's possible? Thanks in advance for your opinions and thoughts!
I like to keep it simple myself (salt pork, onions, milk,clam juice, cream, clams, potatoes and butter)but if I was going to mess around with it, I'd keep the base recipe and add:
Florentine style- garlic, parsely and spinach instead of potatoes
Cajun style- celery and bell pepper with cajun seasonings, no potato
Good luck!
This might sound weird but I've added capers or even chopped anaheim green chilie's.
I use some of the standards. The trick is to use lots of potatoes, bacon, celery and onions. I also use both clam juice, clam base and heavy cream.
For seasoning, I use:
Bay leaves
Dill
Oregano
Italian Seasoning
Thyme leaves
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
White Pepper
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Fresh or Granulated Garlic
Onion Powder
Maderia
I haven't made it in a while and don't know how you make yours. However, some finely diced red bell pepper adds color, just a little. And a few splashes of hot sauce. But whatever you do...no sage! I tried it at a restaurant last year. Now I like sage, but it made the chowder inedible. Wrong combination of flavors totally.
Mine is pretty basic, variations are fennel seed, not too much!
garlic, leek, basil, ham rather than bacon or salt pork.
Clam Chowder - New England Home Style
1 Bacon - slice
2 tb Onion
1 Potato - small
1/2 c Water
1/2 ts Salt
1 ds Pepper
1 cn Minced Clams
1 c Milk
1 tb Butter
Instructions:
Cook bacon, drain on paper towels and reserve drippings. Saute onion in
reserved drippings until tender. Set aside. Combine potato, water, salt,
pepper and cook until tender. Stir in clams, milk, butter and onion. Heat
thoroughly. Springle crumbled bacon over each serving.
NOT MUCH TO ADD TO THIS TO MAKE IT BETTER. MAYBE SOME VEGETABLES? FRESH MUSHROOMS?