Entries in Soups & Stews (19)
New England Seafood Chowder
Lately, the morning air has been very crisp and cool. As my old bones fight off the chill, my mind starts thinking about the many soups I've eaten over the years. On a day such as this, the old mind-clock settles on the summer of 1964 when my family went out to Kennebunkport, Maine for a short vacation. That's where I had my first taste of an authentic seafood chowder at a little cafe that was down the street from the place we were renting for the week. Now, whenever I'm walking by the sea and happen to get a good nose-full of salty air, my tastebuds automatically recall that wonderful chowder. Let's make some right now!
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J.P. Gelinas
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The Dancing Skeleton Gumbo
Back in the day, Loretta and I would always have our staff hand out trinkets to the folks when they were done with their dinners in our restaurants. One of our favorite doo-dads to hand out were little plastic skeletons. I remember one night I saw some guy, who had just finished a big ol' bowl of gumbo, pick up two of those skeletons and dance them around his tabletop. When asked what he was doing, he simply smiled and said, "I love gumbo!"
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J.P. Gelinas
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Ozark Soup
Different seasons bring different recipes. Here's a soup recipe that I always pull out in the springtime. I learned this recipe from a cook I worked with early on in my restaurant career when I was cooking at one of those faux pub-syle eateries that were so popular in Long Island in the late 70's and early 80's. The cook's name? It was Walter, I believe-- this was back in '83 and these days the memory cells are moving slower than they used to... heh,heh!
The things I remember the most about Walter are these three things: 1) He had a lot of great soup recipes 2) He grew up in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas and 3) He was a big fan of the tv sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies-- especially Jed Clampett. Whenever we were busy on the line during a dinner rush, I would hear Walter laugh to himself and then cry out, "By doggies, we're busy!" One can imagine what he might have shouted out if he'd been a fan of Granny.
Later on down the line whenver I put this soup on a menu I'd call it...
J.P. Gelinas
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Long Island Clam Chowder
Clam chowder, like most of the great American Regional soups, makes its culinary statement through the use of local ingredients. Also, like many of these regional soups, there is an endless variety in the types of recipes that dot the landscape... whew! So in working up my own version of this particular chowder I did the most sensible thing... "What's that, bub?" Well, I made sure that my chowder recipe reflected the veritable ocean of clam chowder that I've ingested since moving to the shores of Long Island in 1977...heh, heh! Such is the way that true cooks find their way home in the dark, n'est pas?
Today's recipe employs a larger version of the littleneck clam called the Quahog clam. Quahog clams, also known as "chowder" clams, have a firmer texture and a stronger flavor than littlenecks. Most folks that aren't from the East Coast call them "hard shell clams" or simply "hard clams." I find them to be the best type of clam to use for a stuffed clam recipe of any type. Prior to making this recipe, make sure your clams have been refridgerated for at least 2 hours. They're easier to work with if they are cold.
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J.P. Gelinas
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