Comforting Corn Chowdah New England Style Food

NEW ENGLAND CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Add onion and garlic to a dutch oven and cook in butter on medium-high until softened. Add in flour and stir to coat.
• Stir in heavy cream and vegetable stock, making sure to break up any clumps of flour.
• Add in potatoes and corn and let simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.
• Season with salt and pepper. If chowder is too thin, thicken with a slurry of cornstarch and water. Serve and enjoy!

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, mixing often. Stir in the flour to distribute evenly. Add the stock, juice from 2 cans of chopped clams (reserve clams), cream, bay leaves, and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring consistently (the mixture will thicken), then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are nice and tender. Then add clams and season to taste with salt and pepper, cook until clams are just firm, another 2 minutes.;
• Melt the butter in a large skillet and toss the bread cubes in the butter until browned and toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper.;

NEW ENGLAND FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat a 4 to 6 quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is a crisp golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish; reserve.
• Add the butter, onions, savory or thyme, and bay leaves to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onions have softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.
• Add the potatoes and stock. If the stock doesn't cover the potatoes, add a little water. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and boil the potatoes vigorously until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center, about 10 minutes. If the stock hasn't thickened slightly, smash a few of the potato slices against the side of the pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
• Reduce the heat to low and season assertively with salt and pepper (you want to almost over season at this point in order to avoid having to stir once the fish is added). Add the fish fillets and cook over a low heat until the fish is almost done, 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes (the fish will finish cooking during this time).
• Gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate (only cover the chowder after it has chilled completely). Otherwise, let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld.
• When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over a low heat; don't let it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (220 degrees F) for a few minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to mound the chunks of fish, the onions, and potatoes in the center of large soup plates or shallow bowls, ladle the creamy broth around and scatter the cracklings over top. Finish each serving with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and minced chives.
• Melt the butter in a heavy 7 to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables become very soft without browning, about 8 minutes.
• Place the fish head on the vegetables and stack the fish frames evenly on top. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly and let the bones sweat until they have turned completely white, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add enough very hot or boiling water (approximately 2 quarts) to just barely cover the bones. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow the brew to come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface (try to leave the herbs, spices and vegetables in the pot).
• Remove the pot from the stove, stir the stock again and allow it to steep undisturbed for 10 minutes. Ladle through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible.
• Cover the stock after it is thoroughly chilled (it will have a light jellied consistency) and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

CORNMEAL MUSH

Steps:

• Mix together cornmeal, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• If using as cereal, spoon mush into bowls and serve with milk and sugar, if desired. If frying, pour mixture into a loaf pan and chill completely. Remove from pan, cut into slices, and fry in a small amount of oil over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Serve with sauce of your choice.

CORN-AND-COD CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and crumble when cooled.
• Add the butter and onions to the pot. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the water, clam juice, potatoes, celery, red-pepper flakes, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Return the bacon to the pot. Add the corn, milk, and cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cod and pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook until just done, about 3 minutes longer.
• Fish Alternatives: Use a relatively firm, mild fish that won't disintegrate in the soup, such as pollack, orange roughy or ocean perch.
• Wine Recommendation: A rich chardonnay from California will pair nicely with the creaminess of the chowder. Try to find one that hasn't been aged in oak.

NEW ENGLAND SHRIMP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired; set aside.
• Cook onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in 1 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven, stirring often, about 8 minutes,or until garlic is tender.
• Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually stir in chicken broth and next 6 ingredients.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Stir in half and half,corn, and hot sauce; return to a boil. Add peeled shrimp; cook, stirring often, 5 minute, or until the shrimp turn pink.
• Remove and discard bay leaves.

NEW ENGLAND BACON CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Saute onion, potato and celery in butter.
• Add 1 cup of water.
• Simmer until vegetable are tender. (about 10 minutes)
• Add creamed corn,whole corn, milk, cream and seasonings.
• Simmer about 20 minutes. (Do not boil.)
• Serve hot and garnish with extra crumbled bacon and chopped green onion if desired.
• This chowder tastes even better if it sits a little longer or even the next day.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting.
• While the Instant Pot is heating, dice carrots, celery, and onion.
• Add olive oil to the hot pot and add diced vegetables.
• Saute vegetables until onion begins to soften. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add diced garlic and sauté until onion is clear.
• Add broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper or seasoning of your choice.
• Add chicken breasts (fresh or frozen).
• Put the lid to the Instant Pot on and turn the vent to Sealing.
• Press the Soup button and walk away!
• During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, heat a pot over the stove.
• Melt butter, then add flour and whisk together.
• Allow the butter and flour to cook together for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.
• Whisk in the milk slowly to avoid lumps.
• Allow the mixture to come to just boiling to thicken.
• When the Instant Pot is done, do a Quick Release. Be careful not to burn yourself on the steam!
• Remove chicken breasts to a plate and dice or shred.
• Whisk milk mixture into the hot soup.
• Add chicken back into the soup.
• Add Franks Red Hot sauce to taste.
• Season to taste.
• Serve and enjoy!