Rhode Trip with Corning Ware - Rhode Island Clam Chowder

I took a little "road trip" to the East Coast for dinner this evening.....

Not many people seem to know about Rhode Island Style Clam Chowder, aside from those that actually live in Rhode Island.   Maybe it's because of it's unassuming nature.  It's not flashy red and tomato laden like Manhattan Style, it's not loaded with cream and butter like New England Style.  It's sort of like "the clam chowder next door".  Humble and reserved...  Unpretentious and simple...yet unequivocally delicious.

It may be the least ostentatious of the three styles, but if you are a clam lover, then this is the Chowder for you.  No overpowering tomato, no cloying cream and butter, just clear brothy goodness, loaded with bits of clam, bacon and potato; accentuated with caramelized onions.

True, it should be made with Quahogs, but they are not available on the Left Coast, so I simply go with a combination of chopped & whole clams in a can (besides, I need the clam juice)

I think the true secret to the deliciousness of Rhode Island style Clam Chowder, isn't so much the clams, as it is the most over looked ingredient in your kitchen.... . These little babies.

It's time that Celery was given it's due.  Everyone is familiar with the ribs; they are one of the major players in Mirepoix, after all.  Some are familiar with Celery Root (Celeriac) shaved or julienne in salads or as a mash.  Celery Seed is even used is myriad recipes.... But not the leaves... WHY not the leaves?   They often just get tossed in the garbage.  It's time to think of Celery contributions to cooking, just as you would Cilantro.   Cilantro root and stems are used in Thai curries.. The leaves are used to adorn many Mexican dishes and the seeds (Coriander) are a key spice in the kitchen.   Just like Cilantro, Celery has many subtle flavors depending on which part you are using.   Adding Celery leaf at the end of cooking really adds a delightful "fresh" celery flavor to the soup and highlights the clams beautifully.

Rhode Island Style Clam Chowder

3 slices of Bacon, cut into matchsticks
3 TB Unsalted Butter
1 Onion, diced
4 Celery stalks, diced
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
3 TB All Purpose Flour
~2 cups Clam Juice (reserved from the canned clams)
4 cups Seafood Stock (or Fish, or Vegetable)
1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1/2 lb Red Potatoes, diced
1 1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1 Bay leaf
1 lb Clam meat, drained & chopped (if using canned clams, you will need five 6.5oz cans to achieve the correct "drained" weight)
Celery Leaves, chopped
Kosher Salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper

Corning Ware 4 quart Dutch Oven (P-34) or P-84 (4 quart Sauce Pot) or A-5 (5 quart Dutch Oven/Sauce Pot)

Heat your P-34-B over medium heat; when hot, add the Bacon and saute until crispy, then remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the Butter and allow it to melt and mingle with the Bacon Fat in the stock pot.  

Add the diced Onion and allow it to sweat until it begins to darken in color. (about 15 minutes)  

Once the Onion has begun to caramelize, add the Celery & Garlic, cooking an additional 5 minutes. 

Add 3 TB All Purpose Flour and continue cooking until the mixture begins to smell nutty (about 3-5 minutes)

Drain the canned clams and set them aside, saving the juice (you should have about 2 cups of Clam juice... give or take) then add the Clam Juice....

along with the Seafood/Fish Stock.....

the Potatoes...

and the Thyme, as well as the Bay leaf.

Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low, allowing the chowder to simmer for 15 minutes. 

Remove the pot from the flame, and remove the Bay leaf. (Trust me, you don't want to eat that)

Add the Clam meat and the Bacon, stirring and allowing them to heat through. 

Stir in the chopped Celery leaves. 

Taste and season as necessary with Salt and  Black Pepper.

Now you are ready to serve (with oyster crackers or Saltines, if you like) Mmmmmmmmmm! 

Not THAT is a big bowl of "happy" right there, that is.

Where is your Corning Ware??
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Kraut in Korningware - Sauerkraut Soup

The East wind is blowing out of the Columbia Gorge again.  And when I say blowing, I am talking gusts of 90 mph at Crown Point. There are broken tree branches all over the yard and every once in awhile a tarp flies by... or a few shingles off someones roof.   Eurus is a vengeful creature.  The fact that it's a balmy 39 degrees means nothing when the wind blows this hard.  It's just stinkin cold!

When this type of cold happens, I always want good old "stick to your ribs" German food.   Sauerbraten and Spaetzle are always nice... but today, I was stuck on soup.  Soup has this strange warming effect.  The whole is always greater than the sum of it's parts.   So, today, I opted for something I haven't made for a looooooooooooooooooooong time.  San Diego was always to warm and after being down there for 14 years, I had almost forgotten about it.  Sauerkraut soup (with bacon).  

I know, I know....  I can hear a WHOLE lotta people out there going, "EWWWWW!!!!!"  Trust me...  It really is delicious.  Especially if you get your hands on a REALLY good Hard Cider (You can use a dry Riesling in a pinch, but Cider is better)  Besides.... It has Bacon, so it can't be ALL bad, right?  Besides, Sauerkraut boosts your immune system.  A definite plus in this chill weather.

Sauerkraut Soup

6 -7 slices Bacon
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 TB All-Purpose Flour 
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Caraway Seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Thyme
14 oz Sauerkraut, with juice 
2 cups Hard Cider
4 cups Chicken Stock
3 cups Red Potatoes, diced 

Corningware 4 quart Saucepot (P-84-B)  Again...  Sorry, I have been using this one a lot lately.... 

Place the 4 quart sauce pot (P-84-B) over medium flame.
Once heated, add Bacon (you will probably have to work in batches)

Once bacon is nice and crispy, and the fat has rendered out into the pot, move the bacon to paper towels to drain and set aside.

Add the Onion to the hot Bacon Fat and saute until they begin to soften.

Add Flour and cook until it begins to smell slightly nutty.

Add the Salt, ground Caraway, Pepper and Thyme, stirring until well combined.

Add the Sauerkraut, along with any juice, and stir until well combined and the kraut is heated through.

Pour in the Hard Cider.

And the Chicken Stock....

Cover, increase the flame to medium and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, dice the Potatoes... (Waiting to dice them until the last minute will reduce browning)

When the soup begins to boil, add the diced Potatoes.

Cover and bring to a boil again......

Then reduce the flame to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Now that the Bacon is completely cooled, you can crumble it up. (This will be the garnish)

Ladle the soup into a bowl and sprinkle with crispy bacon crumbles.

YUM-O-RAMA!!!

Where is your Corningware??
~~

En-Thai-sing Chicken in Corningware - Coconut Milk Chicken

Technically, since this involves absolutely NO Thai Curry paste whatsoever, it's not really a curry, but the premise is the same.  A sauce, based on Coconut Milk, spiked with Ginger, Chile and Lime juice, in which the meat and vegetables are cooked.  Serve over rice and voila!  Dinner!

I like to substitute Serrano chiles for Bird's Eyes, simply because they are easier to find.  Serranos have about half the "heat"of Thai Bird's Eye chiles, but Serranos are are twice as big. So you get the same effect from 4-5 Serranos as you do from 4 Bird's Eyes.  Just be sure to remove the membranes and seeds.  

Coconut Milk Chicken

1⁄4 cup Coconut oil
1 medium Sweet Onion, diced
4-5 Serrano Chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced (or 4 Bird's Eye chiles if readily available)
4  Garlic cloves, minced
1 TB freshly ground Ginger Root
3/4 tsp ground Turmeric (a little goes a LOOOOOONG way)
6 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
1⁄4 cup Lime Juice
27 oz Coconut Milk (2 cans)
Salt, to taste
Jasmine or Basmati Rice and finely chopped Cilantro, for Serving

Corningware 4 Quart Sauce pot (P-84-B) or (A-4-B)

Melt Coconut oil in the 4 quart Sauce pot (P-84-B) set over medium flame.

Once melted, add the Onion, Serrano, Garlic & Turmeric, stirring to combine.

Reduce the flame to low and cook slowly for 30 minutes....

or until the onions and REALLY soft.

Lay the Chicken Thighs on the bed of cooked onions.

Add the Lime Juice....

And the Coconut milk and season with a pinch or two of Salt.

Stir until everything is a nice bright yellow (tumeric is a powerful coloring agent)

Increase the flame to Medium and bring to a boil.

Reduce the flame, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Twist the lid to allow some of the steam to escape and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Fill a bowl with rice, top with a Chicken Thigh and spoon the delicious coconut milk sauce all over, then garnish with Cilantro.

and there you have it... The "Soup" that eats like a meal.  And quite a delicious meal it is.

Just in case you were curious, the dinnerware that has shown up in the last two recipes is a a Centura Soup "Plate". (as opposed to a "bowl" which is usually of a smaller diameter, and deeper)

Where is your Corningware??
~~