Traveling England

There is nothing more fulfilling and hearty than a bowl of clam chowder with the aromas wafting up to thrill your senses and your mouth watering at the prospect of digging into the bowl of the wholesome, sumptuous and delicious soup. Clam chowder is by no means a new culinary rendition; as a matter of fact, the chowder has been around for so long that diverse versions of the soup have cropped up in various places using local ingredients. Some of the more popular recipes include:

The New England clam chowder: This delicacy is made from cream onions, potato and salt pork or bacon

Rhode Island clam chowder: This is a clear broth; not as popular as the creamy versions of clam chowder. It is commonly served in restaurants across the New England area.

Manhattan clam chowder: This again is a clear broth that is flavored with tomatoes instead of potatoes which lend it a vibrant color. The recipe was the brain wave of Italian migrants who gave it the name which explains the usage of tomatoes in the recipe

Originally a poor man’s diet, the humble clam chowder has come a long way and figures in the top spot on the list of comfort foods. Served in restaurants across the country and the world; clam chowder; whether clear broth like or creamy, tastes fantastic with flaky saltine crackers; as the taste of the creamy broth combines with the salt in the crackers to create some very heady flavors. So if you are ready to hop into the kitchen and whip up bowl after bowl of clam chowder for your family; here is a quick and easy yet delectable recipe.

To make the clam chowder you will need:

• Clams: 10 oz

• Carrots finely diced: 1sm

• Finely chopped onion: 1 lg

• Potatoes diced: 1 lb

• All purpose flour: 3 tbsp

• Water: 1/4 cup

• Fish stock: 1 1/4 cup

• Butter:4tsp

• Whole milk: 2 cups

• Salt and pepper to suit your taste

How to prepare the clam chowder?

This is an extremely easy dish to make. Start by heating a large sauce pan; melt the butter in it and add the carrots and onions to; now, cook the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes before mixing in the finely chopped onions; stir the vegetables frequently till the onions are soft. Then, add the flour so that you can make a roux. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes; stirring constantly so that the flour does not burn.

Next, add half of the fish stock and stir the mixture well; make sure that you scrape the bottom of the pan so that you are not left with flour lumps; now, add water and the remaining fish stock; bring the mixture to a boil

Add the milk and potatoes to the steaming mixture and reduce the heat; simmering the mixture for 20 minutes; stir occasionally till all the vegetables are wonderfully tender.

Finally, add the clams; you can use fresh clams to add a touch of specialty to the dish or if you are looking for a cheaper option stick to canned clams. After adding the clams; cook the mixture for another five minutes and take off the heat; season with salt and pepper and serve piping hot with salt crackers or crusty bread.