Chowder

Chowder is a hearty, chunky soup. The classic New England kind is made with clams, potatoes, onion and salt pork or bacon, in a broth thickened with milk or cream. Unlike a bisque, the pieces stay whole. Many chowders use fish or corn instead of clams.

How to do it

1. Cook diced bacon or salt pork slowly until the fat runs out and the pieces are crisp.
2. Add diced onion and celery and sweat them in the fat until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Stir in a little flour if you want a thicker chowder. Cook it for a minute to make a light roux.
4. Add diced potatoes and clam juice, fish stock, or water. Simmer until the potatoes are just fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Add the clams or fish and cook gently until just done, a few minutes.
6. Lower the heat, stir in milk or cream, and warm through without boiling. Season with salt and black pepper.

How to tell it is done

The potatoes are tender but hold their shape. The broth is creamy and coats a spoon. The seafood is just cooked: clams are tender and fish flakes easily.

Common mistakes

• Boiling after the dairy goes in. Milk can curdle and the soup turns grainy.
• Overcooking the clams. They turn chewy within minutes.
• Cutting the potatoes too small. They fall apart and make the soup pasty.
• Adding too much flour. The soup should be thick, not like glue.

In recipes

"Chowder" with no other word usually means New England clam chowder, which is white and creamy. Manhattan clam chowder is red, made with tomatoes and no cream. Corn chowder and fish chowder follow the same method. Chowder often tastes better the next day, once the flavors settle. Cool leftovers quickly and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Where it comes from

Chowder came to North America with French and British fishermen. The name is probably from the French chaudière, a large cooking pot.