Legals Inaugural Fish Chowder Food

LEGAL SEAFOOD'S CLAM CHOWDER RECIPE

Steps:

• Clean the clams and place them in a large pot along with the garlic and water. Steam the clams until they open (about 6 to 10 minutes, depending upon their size).
• Drain and shell the clams, reserving the broth in a bowl.
• Mince the clam flesh and set aside. Filter the clam broth either through coffee filters or cheesecloth and set aside.
• In a large, heavy pot slowly render the salt pork . Remove the cracklings and set them aside.
• Slowly cook the onions in the fat, stirring frequently for about 6 minutes, or until cooked through but not browned.
• Stir in the flour and cook while stirring continuously for 3 minutes.
• Add the reserved clam broth and fish stock, and whisk to remove any flour lumps .
• Bring the liquid to a boil, add the potatoes, lower the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through (about 15 minutes).
• Stir in the reserved clams, salt pork cracklings, and light cream. Heat the chowder until it is the temperature you prefer.
• Serve in large soup bowls with oyster crackers on the side. Recipe Source: "Legal Seafoods Cookbook" by George Berkowitz, Jane Doerfer (Doubleday). Reprinted with permission.

LEGAL'S INAUGURAL FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan until softened.
• Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and sauté.
• Stir frequently, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and slowly stir in the flour.
• Return to the heat, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, begin heating the stock in a large pot.
• Whisk the stock into the flour mixture.
• Bring the stock to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the fish and simmer about 10 minutes longer.
• Stir in the cream and cheese.
• Simmer until the cheese melts, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• (You won't distinguish the cheese as such; it is incorporated into the chowder.) Reheat the chowder slowly so the cream doesn't boil.

CREAMY SOUTHERN SEAFOOD OR FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook ham hock, bacon or salt pork until some fat is rendered, and then remove meat. Salt pork is more traditionally New England, but I just wanted a little smokey pork fat in my dish so I went with the ham hock.
• Pour off as much fat as you like and add butter or olive oil.
• In large pot add stock, milk, ham hock, bay leaves, pepper, thyme, Old Bay, salt and diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. If using bacon or salt pork, you can wait to add until the end.
• Sprinkle flour over butter and mix until light yellow (blonde) in color and flour is lightly cooked.
• Add onions, carrots and celery to roux and cook down for about 15 minutes until onions have lost a lot of their water and carrots are soft. The mixture should be quite thick, and will need to be stirred frequently at medium high heat.
• Add garlic to onion mixture and cook for a few more minutes.
• Once potatoes are starting to soften, but are not yet done, add onion and carrot mixture and stir.
• Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium to simmer. At this point of the mixture looks too thick you can add some more vegetable stock. I like to taste at this point to adjust salt etc. as well.
• Mix in corn and cook until corn is warmed.
• Add seafood mixture to pot and mix in lightly.
• Add cream and cheese and mix in until just smooth.
• At this point turn the pot to low or medium low, and as soon as the seafood is cooked it's ready to eat.
• This is definitely better the next day or after it's sat for a while, so you can leave it on a very low heat for a few hours or stick it in the fridge and reheat on the stove slowly the next day.
• You can remove the ham hock, or pull some of the meat off of it and add it inches.
• Serving it up with some crusty bread was perfect!

DOWNEAST FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Fry salt pork slowly in soup pot.
• Add sliced onions and cook five minutes.
• Add cubed potatoes, boiling water, and fish.
• Simmer slowly until potatoes are soft.
• Add evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and minced parsley.
• In a small skillet, melt butter.
• Add flour, blend thoroughly and cook.
• Add slowly to chowder, stirring until slightly thickened.
• Heat for another five minutes.
• Serve with pilot crackers.