Christmas Chowder Food

OYSTER CHOWDER

Steps:

• Spread bacon in a soup pan and place over medium heat. Cook until browned and its fat has rendered. Drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat and put pan back on the heat. Scrape the onion and celery into the pan and saute until softened. Drop in the potatoes. Add enough water to cover, about 3 cups. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.
• Take the pan off the heat and, using a masher, lightly crush the potatoes to thicken the chowder. Add the oysters and oyster liquor and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Simmer until the oysters curl, about 5 minutes.
• Pour in the milk (use 2/3 cup if you prefer it less rich), bring to a boil, then shut off the heat. Crumble in the bacon and stir in the parsley.

SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt pork and cook for 10 minutes; drain.
• Heat olive oil in a medium Dutch-oven over low heat. Add pork and cook for 5 minutes. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until soft. Add fish stock and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Add shrimp, clams, and fish, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; add to Dutch-oven. Season chowder with cayenne, salt, and white pepper. Serve hot.

MOM'S NOVA SCOTIA SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Fill a large pot halfway with lightly salted water; bring to a boil. Add onions and carrots; cook until slightly tender, 10 minutes. Add potatoes; cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in salmon, cod, scallops, shrimp, lobster, and crab; cook over medium heat until salmon and cod are firm but chunks are still slightly translucent in the center, about 10 minutes. Drain half the water from the pot and add clams, heavy cream, and half-and-half. Place butter chunks atop the soup; season with salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until salmon and cod are fully cooked and flake easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.

FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until light golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter until melted. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring, until almost no liquid remains, about 45 seconds.
• Add potatoes, stock, clam juice, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; season fish with salt and stir in with cream. Heat until warmed through and fish is opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve immediately.

CHRISTMAS CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the onions, celery, red and green peppers in 4 Tbsp of unsalted butter, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent, or about 5 minutes.
• Add the diced potatoes and broth, bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat, cover pan, and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are just tender.
• Cream flour and melted butter together and set aside.
• Add corn, cream, and seasonings; mix well and then heat until small bubbles appear around the edges (scalding point).
• Add flour and butter mixture to the pan, bit by bit, stirring well after each addition. Simmer until thickened.
• Serve immediately with a sprinkle of parsley or freshly ground nutmeg. Can also be made ahead of time and kept warm in a crock pot.

CHRISTMAS CLAM CHILI CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook the bacon and remove from pan, reserving the drippings.
• Saute the onions and fresh Thyme on a medium heat in the bacon drippings, till the onions are translucent, but watch the heat. Fresh Thyme burns easily. Then, add 1/3 cup of the Chicken stock and simmer the onion/thyme mixture, covered, to further bring out the flavor, until all the liquid cooks off.
• Using a large, heavy saucepan, or stockpot over medium heat, blend the olive oil and flour to create a sauce, but turn down the heat, flour burns easily. Stir constantly until browned and bubbly. Mix in garlic, and cook about 1 minute.
• Gradually stir in the chicken broth and red wine vinegar into the sauce mixture. Bring to a gentle boil to allow the vinegar to cook down but still stirring constantly.
• Now add in the fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, okra, Rotel, red chile peppers, cooked rice, Cajun seasoning, and the Onion/Thyme mixture to the stockpot and simmer everything for at least 40 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Crumbled bacon, cooked andoulle sausage and clams are the last ingredients to be added, and then simmered for 20 minutes more.
• Once the soup is ladled into bowls, sprinkle black pepper, and place some fresh Thyme leaves on top as a garnish.

CHRISTMAS EVE CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 7-9 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup potato water., Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add celery, carrots and onion; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until tender., Stir in flour until blended; gradually stir in cream and reserved potato water. Bring to a boil; cook 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Add clams, seasonings and potatoes; heat through.

CHRISTMAS POTATO-OYSTER STEW (CHOWDER)

Steps:

• Drain oysters, reserving liquid. Cut through oysters 6 to 8 times. Set aside. Place potato in a medium saucepan; add water and salt. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving liquid.
• Saute onion and celery in butter in a 3-quart saucepan until tender. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually add reserved potato liquid and half-and-half; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened.
• Stir in cubed potato, oysters, reserved oyster liquid, garlic powder, pepper and parsley. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of oysters curl. Garnish, if desired.