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??
~~

Time For Thai With Corningware - Green Curry Squash Soup

My most used piece, lately, has been my P-84-B 4 quart Sauce pot.  True it holds the same amount as the P-34-B 4 quart Dutch Oven.  But the bottom of the P-84 Sauce pot is thicker than the Dutch oven.

In many ways, the Dutch Oven is designed more like the Roasting Pans (P-21 & P-76)  

In fact, the Dutch Oven originally came with a chrome grill for the bottom.  Just like the Roasting Pans did...  A hint from Corning, no doubt, that the Dutch Oven, though it can be used on the stove top, really lends itself better to oven cooking of roasts.  

Thus, when making soups, I much prefer the actual 4 quart Sauce pan/pot.  It just seems to be the perfect size for soups.  Just wait until I make my infamous Lentil soup.  But first, a trip to Thailand with a decidedly American ingredient.

Squash is everywhere this time of year. But whether disguised as the more familiar "pumpkin" or not, usually these squash derived dishes are sweet.  I challenge that.  I get tired of sweet squash stuff all the time.  There is so much more that Winter Squash can do.  It's not a one trick pony.  You can bet that the Native Americans weren't cooking up sugar laden squash dishes.  That is one of the reasons I love this Lime and Ginger laced soup.   It just hits the spot.  Don't let the Green Curry scare you; of all the choices in the world of Thai cuisine, Green Curry usually has the least amount of heat.  It's very name (Gaeng Kiaw Wan) means "sweet" curry.

Golden Nugget is a deliciously creamy tasting, fine grained squash, similar to a Butternut, but much less sweet.  This helps it fair better in more savory applications.  Another good squash for this soup it Red Kuri, which normally stars in my Squash Risotto.

Now a warning about the Golden Nugget.  It's a tough squash to crack.  So don't be surprised if, unlike the Butternut, you cannot simply use a potato peeler to remove the skin.  It's a bit of a pain to cut the meat off the tough skin, but your patience and time will be rewarded with deliciousness.

 Green Curry Squash Soup

2 TB Coconut Oil (or Olive Oil)
1 1/2 lbs peeled & cubed Golden Nugget Squash (Red Kuri is nice too)
1 small Sweet Onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 inches Ginger, peeled & grated on a zester
3 cloves Garlic, minced
4 cups Chicken Stock
2 TB Thai Green Curry Paste
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
14oz can Coconut Milk
Juice of 1/2 a Lime
Salt and Pepper

Corningware 4 quart Sauce Pot (P-84-B or A-4-B) though you can probably use a 3 quart (A-3-B)

Spoon the Coconut Oil (or Olive oil) into the Saucepot and place over medium flame to melt.

While you are waiting for things to heat up, go ahead and crack open the Squash.

Scoop out the seeds, peel with a knife and cut into cubes.

When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until it begins to soften.

Add the Ginger & Garlic and saute 1 more minute.

Add the Squash and Cilantro, stirring to combine.

Pour in the Chicken Stock and the Coconut Milk.

Spoon in the Green Curry Paste.

and the juice of half a Lime.

Bring the whole thing to a simmer....

Then cover and reduce the flame to low.

Simmer the soup for about 35 minutes (or until the squash is fork tender)

Serve with more chopped Cilantro and a slice of Lime.

Where is your Corningware??
~~

Enchaud Perigordine - Pork Roast a la Corningware

I think it's time to take a trip back, not too far, but far enough I should think.  Back to a time when the dinner table was not complete without a huge roast as the centerpiece of the table.  Maybe my perception is slightly skewed about this, but I personally, hardly, if ever, roast roasts.  I mean, it's usually only me, myself and I for dinner, and all of us put together can't possible eat our way through 3 lbs of meat.  Not gonna happen, my friends.

That is why it's so nice to have people over for dinner.  You get to exercise your "large portions" muscles.

Let's face it, a well executed Roast makes for a stunning table.  Tonight, I decided on a classic French Pork Loin Roast in the style of Perigord.  Though I cheated again.  I didn't have a trotter (pig foot), so I used the recipe from America's Test Kitchen that I had seen on the PBS which utilized Gelatin to thicken the sauce, since there would be no gelatin cooked out of the foot.  (I knew there was a reason I had saved that to the DVR).

Usually, and by that I mean "Classically" this roast is slow cooked in a big old enameled cast iron dutch oven. (as well as being stuffed with sausage and truffles, but HEY, who has truffles?)  WELL, lemme tell ya somethin'....  A 4 or 5 quart Corningware Dutch Oven works JUST as well, if not better, than a big, fancy $250 Le Creuset or Staub pot. I'm just sayin'.  Personally, I think it's easier to clean too.  But that is probably because I am a little bias. (but I really DO hate cleaning my enameled cast iron skillet)

Corningware actually made several versions of the Dutch Oven or Large Casserole/Saucepan, whichever you prefer to call it.  There is the original 4 quart P-34-B, (some later ones were marked as 5 quart, but the size is the same)

the 4 quart P-84-B, (That I just used for Boiling Ravioli)

and later there was the 5-liter A-5-B. (Shadow Iris)

I think there might even be an A-4-B, but I have not seen one in person, and I don't collect A-series pieces.

Either of these pots will work exceedingly well.  If, however, you are using the P-34-B, keep the stove flame a little lower during the browning process.  The walls of this original 4 quart "Dutch Oven" are thinner than the later P-84-B and A-5-B models.

OK, let's argue semantics  Technically, this is not really a "roast".  Roasting, by definition, means dry heat and this recipe contains liquid, so it's really a braise, not a roast.  Then again, we, in the U.S., refer to large chunks of meat "Roasts" even before they are roasted.  So the argument can be made that while this Roast isn't being roasted, the mere fact that it IS a Pork "Roast" makes it a "Roast", whether roasted, braised, broiled, stewed, sous-vide or deep fried.

Enchaud Perigordine

French Style Pork Loin Roast with Apple and Onion (Adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

2 TB Butter, divided
10 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin
2-3 lb Pork Loin Roast (bone out)
1 TB Salt (this seems like a lot, but it's not really)
1 tsp Sugar
Black Pepper
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
2 TB Olive Oil, divided
1 Newtown Pippin Apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 Sweet Onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay
2 sprigs fresh Thyme or 2 tsp dried Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
1 TB Unflavored Gelatin
optional - 1 TB Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped

2 Grab-It Bowls (P-150-B) with 1 Glass Lid
4 or 5 Quart Dutch Oven (P-34-B, P-84-B or A-5-B) with Glass Lid (P-12-C or A-12-C)

Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle portion of the oven and preheat to 225F degrees. (You read that correctly, only 225 degrees - it's ALL about low and s-l-o-w)
In the Grab-it Bowl (P-150-B) melt 1 TB Butter over low flame.

Add 1/2 of the sliced Garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, until the garlic just begins to turn golden (this is really more of a poaching, since the butter isn't super hot).

Cover with the Glass Lid and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the roast from it's wrappings and Double Butterfly the Roast so it will fold up like a letter or a tri-fold wallet.

Sprinkle each side with 1/2 TB of Salt and rub it in until the surface become tacky.

With the fat side down, sprinkle the top (what will be the inside after folding) with the Sugar, then remove the Garlic Butter from the refrigerator, and spread it over the inside of the Roast as well.

Fold the Roast up, keeping the fat side down.

Tie it up with kitchen twine, spacing the ties about 1 inch apart.

 

Season with Black Pepper and Herbes de Provence. (I skipped the Herbes de Provence this time)

Begin heating 1 TB Olive Oil in your 4 or 5 quart Corningware Dutch Oven...  If using a P-34-B (like I did), use Medium-Low flame, if using P-84-B or A-5-B, go ahead and use Medium flame.

Brown the roast on three sides (Not the bottom where the twine is tied) starting with the Fat side. (about 6-8 minutes total)

Remove from the Dutch Oven to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 TB Olive Oil to the Dutch Oven along with the Onion and Apple and cook for 5-7 minutes, just until the onions begin to brown.

Add White Wine and the Bay leaf along with the Thyme and the remaining Garlic.

After about 1 minute, place the Roast back in the Dutch Oven, Fat side up.

Cover with a piece of Aluminum Foil and then place the lid on top. (I found that this was not really necessary)

Move the whole thing to the preheated oven.

Grab another Grab-it Bowl (P-150-B), or wash the one you made the Garlic Butter in, and place 1/4 cup of Chicken Stock then sprinkle with 1 TB Gelatin, allowing it to bloom while the roast is cooking.

Braise for 50 minutes, then check the internal temperature to ensure it has reached 140F degrees in the center. If not, braise about 10-15 minutes longer and check again.

When the braised Roast reaches 140F Degrees, extract the Dutch Oven from the Oven (hee hee), move the "Roast" to a plate and tent loosely with Aluminum Foil.

Measure out the liquid (along with the apples and onions) in a pitcher, if you have less than 1 1/4 cups, augment with more chicken stock and add the contents of the pitcher back to the dutch oven and set over Medium-Low flame.

Add the Gelatin mixture and 1 TB Butter.

Stir until the Gelatin melts and the sauce begins to simmer.

Remove from the flame and pour into a gravy boat for passing around the table.
When the Pork Loin has rested, slice into 3/4 inch pieces.

Serve with Gelatin fortified sauce.

With Squash Streusel and Sauteed Baby Greens, your good to go.

A moist tender and delicious braised roast that is perfect for a chilly Autumn meal.

Where is your Corningware??
~~