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One secret ingredient makes clam chowder simple
My New York brother-in-law Roger, an excellent and sophisticated cook, was visiting as I tested my latest clam chowder. He eyed me with suspicion when I mentioned the soup would be ready for lunch in 20 minutes. When the kitchen timer rang and I scooped up a taste for Roger, his eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“That’s terrific,” he said. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself.”
I love seafood chowders of all kinds and what makes them possible in just 20 minutes is a simple, ingenious ingredient: Clam-flavored bouillon paste (clam base) that adds a long-simmered depth as soon as it hits the pot.
This magic ingredient is actually called clam base and it’s sold in a jar alongside other bouillon. Better Than Bouillon is one national brand. If you can’t find it at your supermarket, check out our shop. Clam base keeps for years and (using our recipes) one jar makes 19 pots of chowder.
Clam base. Believe it!
Related Recipes
Almost Dad’s Clam Chowder
Beverly's dad digs his own clams on Topsail Island to make his chowder. This quick version is the next best thing.
Read full recipe.
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Comments
You have shared a great secret i-e ingredient makes clam chowder simple. Thanks for this.
Since we’re on the topic of secret ingredients: try using Fig-infused White Balsamic Vinegar in your vinaigrette. I just shake maybe two teaspoons up with about a tablespoon and a half of olive oil for salad dressings — and it’s terrific. Sweet, with a little bit of a kick. I used it just today on a salad of duck breast (left overs from two nights ago), walnuts, dried figs, and mache lettuce. I buy the Alessi brand at a local gourment store.