Chowder w/ Variations — Kathleen Sanderson

Basic Chowder 2 qts.

Ingredients

1/4 lb. bacon, diced*

2 cups Spanish onion, diced (1)

3 ribs celery, diced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 Russet style potatoes, peeled and diced

6 cups Vegetable or Fish stock Flavor variation*

2-3 Tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro

Salt and Tabasco to taste

½-1 cup heavy cream

Procedure

1. In a soup pot cook bacon* until golden. Add onion and continue to cook 2-3 minutes. Add celery and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat add potatoes and cook 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

2. Add desired flavoring* and simmer soup 10-12 minutes. Adjust seasoning, add cream and stir in parsley. Serve hot with oyster crackers.

*Chowder Flavor Variations:

Shrimp & Crab Chowder: Add 1/2 lb. coarsely chopped lump crab, ½ lb diced shrimp and 1 cup diced roasted red peppers to step 2 of the basic chowder.

Shrimp, Chipotle & Sweet Potato Chowder: Sauté 1 minced chipotle in adobo with celery and add 1x15 ozs. can drained and rinsed Goya black and replace Idaho potatoes with 2 sweet potatoes. Simmer soup 20-30 minutes and finish with ¾ lb. shrimp, chopped cilantro and a splash of lime juice.

New England Clam Chowder: Add 2 cups diced clams in step 2.

you can use 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil instead of bacon fat.