Oregon Clam Chowder

I know a lot of people have clam chowder for Christmas Eve. We have tacos. I don't know why - that is just what Grandma and Grandpa Jack did. It is tradition and we love it. So that is what we had. However, Tyler brought home a whole bunch of cockles from a dive at the North Jetty in Florence. His very kind Grandpa Ron ground them up before he brought them home so I didn't even have to tenderize them and chop 'em up. Blessings to them both.

I should also say, I don't like clam chowder. I mean, I won't eat it in a restaurant. I think Mo's is awful. I never thought I'd eat any. Ever. Amen. And then I made a batch myself. Mind changed. It happens, people.

Veggie ingredients, except the half onion and carrots

If your son didn't bring you fresh, prepped cockles you can use any clam you like - fresh preferred, but canned works. Rather than using a clam chowder recipe as the frame for this recipe, I started with a potato leek soup recipe. It tastes rich and creamy, but doesn't use any added thickener or cream. So it doesn't taste like flour and half and half.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons butter and/or canola oil
• 1 leek - white and light green parts only - sliced and washed well
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 4 potatoes, give or take, sliced and then cut in half
• 1 parsnip (optional, I guess), sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 cups veggie or chicken broth (mine was low sodium chicken broth because it was open)
• 2-3 cups water (or enough to cover the veggies)
• 1 cup milk (I used skim)
• 2(ish) cups finely diced or ground cockles or some kind of clams
• salt, pepper, paprika to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme or whatever fresh or dried herb you fancy

Leeks grow up through the dirt. Dirt gets between each layer. So you'll want to swish them in water to get it all out. I always recommend organic. I can't afford to get everything that way, either. But anything that requires special washing I try to get organic for sure. This one - and the parsnip and onion - were from my CSA. (Potatoes were from Rob's mom's family farm in rural SE Oregon. Such a treat!)

Washing sliced leek in my awesome new strainer.

Heat a dutch oven or other heavy stockpot on medium; add butter and/or canola oil. I used a tablespoon of butter and about 1.5 tablespoons of canola oil. Add onion and leeks. Cook until soft and a little bit golden, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat when needed. I reduced mine to medium-low after 5 min.)

Meanwhile, the potatoes, parsnip, and carrots can be diced or sliced. I sliced with a mandolin and then cut the large ones in half. It just makes them cook faster and mash up a bit easier later. Dicing is fine if you don't have a mandolin or don't want to wash it later. (Been there, done that.) Add to the pot and stir to combine. 

Add broth and water to cover veggies. Add more of either one if it doesn't quite cover. Add some salt and the bay leaves now. I put in about a teaspoon. Bring to boil over medium heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes or so until the veggies are soft. With a potato masher (or fork or whisk - I used a plastic whisk) mash up the veggies until in bits. You could use an immersion blender or blend in batches, but I didn't want mine completely smooth. It is entirely up to you. 

it will look kinda like this when you have all the veggies and liquid in.

Add whatever clams you are using (no need to drain juice - add it too) and the milk. Add the fresh thyme if using. Put in pepper and paprika to taste. Let simmer without coming to a boil for 5-10 minutes. Taste. If it needs more salt, pepper, or paprika, add it now. If it is too thick, you can add more of any of the liquids you prefer. Simmer until you are ready to eat. 

The soup pot will look something like this at the end.

Caution: the smell of the finished chowder will attract teenage boys. Or at least it did at my house during Winter Break. I didn't do it tonight, but I would highly recommend bread bowls for this chowder. You didn't use any flour or cream and very little butter, after all. 

My half eaten bowl. Yeah, I was hungry and forgot to take a picture right away.

So if your winter moments bring you root veggies and cockles, or if you just have a hankering, make yourself and loved ones a steaming pot of this chowder. It will certainly warm your winter moments. 

Broiled Persimmons with Greek Yogurt

Fall and winter desserts are so deliciously rich and substantial. Afterwards we end up feeling too "substantial" to get off the couch. Hibernation food. Now that is fine and dandy after Thanksgiving dinner, but what's a girl to do when a sweet end to the meal is in order, but you don't want to end up in a food coma?

Enter a lovely little fruit that shows up in late fall: the persimmon.

Fuyu Persimmons. Photo by Rob Loper

I made a delicious butternut squash risotto for a cozy dinner at home. The evening called for dessert, but after the risotto I thought something light would be best. I stared at the persimmons from my CSA. I'd never eaten one and let them go a little longer than I should have with this variety because I didn't know what to do with them.

So, I just plunged in. I pulled the stems out, sliced them horizontally and placed them on a small baking sheet. Then spread about 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon of honey on top of each half. I turn on the broiler and placed the baking sheet on top rack of oven. I broiled them for about 5 minutes, but you should check each minute after 2 minutes. If some of the honey drips off onto the pan it will smoke a bit and smell like it is burning even though the fruit is fine. (But you might want to turn on the fan, because smoke alarms don't know nothing is really burning.)

When lightly browned around the edges, remove from oven. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt (I used plain, non-fat, but honey or vanilla would also be good), sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar blend or drizzle with additional honey, and top with fresh or dried mint, finely minced or crushed. If you want your desert to be a little less virtuous, you could top with whipped cream or sweetened, whipped cream cheese or mascarpone. Or perhaps a little vanilla bean ice-cream.

The finished product. Photo by Rob Loper

Now, I think these would have been better if I hadn't refrigerated the persimmons for a few days ahead of time as I think that diminished their flavor a bit. However, broiling seemed to bring it back out. That actually works with a lot of fruits. Like roasting does for veggies. It also helps if you eat by candlelight. Really, everything is so elegant and appetizing that way. You should all try it.

Beautiful end to a meal. Photo by Rob Loper

I've had lots of food on my table in the past couple of months, but keep forgetting to write down the recipes or take photos. So I haven't blogged anything in awhile. It seemed mean to say, "Hey, I ate this really terrific thing, but I can't tell you how to make it or show you any photos." Reminds me of a big fish story.

I hope you are all savoring your sweet moments at the table as much as I am mine.