Everyone
deserves a well-earned break now and then and if you’re
the type of person who would like to combine a trip abroad
with a delicious cooking experience, this is the prize for
you!
This
is one of the recipes that has been provided by
Shirley Cline from San Fransisco. (You can contact
Shirley by emailing her - click here). Shirley
had this to say:
"This recipe
is by Jasper White, "Jasper White‘s
Summer Shack". He prepared these
on the Martha Stewart show and they looked wonderful".
Ingredients
4 ounces salt
pork, rind removed and cut into 1/3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions (12 to 14 ounces), cut into
1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery (4 ounces), cut into 1/3-inch
pieces
5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
and chopped (2 teaspoons)
2 dried bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon gold, Maine, PEI, or other
all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into
1/2-inch dice
4 cups Clam Broth (recipe follows)
Diced clams (reserved from Clam Broth recipe)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or up to 2 cups, if
desired)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for
garnish
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, for garnish
Method
Heat a 4- to
6-quart heavy-bottomed pot over low heat,
and add the salt pork. Once it has rendered
a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat
to medium and cook until the salt pork is
a crisp golden brown. Remove from pot; set
aside.
Add the butter,
onions, garlic, celery, thyme, and bay leaves.
Saute, stirring occasionally with a wooden
spoon, until the onions are softened but not
browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes
and the strained clam broth. The broth should
just barely cover the potatoes; if it doesn’t,
add enough water to cover them. Increase the
heat, and bring to a boil. Cover, and cook
the potatoes vigorously until they are soft
on the outside but still firm in the center,
about 10 minutes. If the broth hasn’t
thickened lightly, smash a few potatoes against
the side of the pot, and cook 1 to 2 minutes
more to release the starch.
Remove pot from
the heat, and stir in the diced clams and
the cream. Season to taste. If you are not
serving the chowder within the hour, let it
cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder
after it has completely chilled. Otherwise,
let it sit at room temperature for up to 1
hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
When ready to
serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don’t
let it boil. Ladle into cups or bowls, making
sure that the clams, potatoes, and onions
are evenly divided. Sprinkle with parsley,
chives, and reserved salt-pork cracklings.
