Had a clam chowder with carrots the other day...

[phatch]

As the title says, I had a clam chowder with carrots the other day. Never run into that before. I was initially a little disturbed by the thought but had been impressed with everything else this little fish and chips joint had served me before so I was certainly ready to try it.

And it worked surprisingly well. The carrots had cooked long enough to pick up some nice clam flavor and their natural sweetness highlighted the inherent sweetness of the shellfish. I think they still look out of place in clam chowder but it's a nice twist if you're looking for something different in a clam chowder now and then.

Perhaps its just me, but I've never found bacon to belong in clam chowder and I'm glad they don't do theirs that way. I trace this opinion to my childhood where my mom made corn chowder with bacon in it. So bacon in chowder just means corn chowder to me.

On another note, they also do an interesting slaw. The dressing is intensely yellow with a citrus flavor. Quite strong so it's dressed lightly, almost to the point of being naked. But it too works well especially against their fish offerings.

[nowIamone]

phatch,

I always put carrots in my clam chowder. Sometimes I add a little sweet red bell pepper towards the end. And I've added corn at times. I've used bacon or bits of ham.

And now if you are ready for this.............. I even make a chipotle-lime clam chowder...........people follow me home, stand in my yard and howl at the moon over it.

[phatch]

I can see chipotle lime clam chowder being good.

Phil

[nowIamone]

phatch,

I live in an area where we clam often, for both razor clams and steamers. Our razor clam limit is 60 per person.............yes, 60 everytime you go! Read it and weep.

There are always lots of clams in the freezer for winter, so a person is more apt to freely experiment with the little critters. It's an item that's pulled out of the freezer, and then you look at what's on hand and build from there.

For years when the kids were young I made a seafood lasagna, in a white cream style sauce. In all fairness, I used the seafood that I thought was getting a little old in the freezer and it benifited from poaching in some wine and clam broth. It was after my children left home and went out in the world that they decided that it was really something special. But these were the same children who were once out to breakfast and became thrilled with the fact that there were "plain" pancakes on the menu. It seems they were a little tired of the peach, applesauce, spice, pumpkin, or any other variation their mother could think up.