Chowders are known as one of the first foods served at a community meal, but are best known as a good reason for a social gathering.
Originating in France in the early 1750s, chowders are named after a chaudiere, or three-legged cauldron used by fishermen to make fresh stews upon return from sea fishing trips. What makes the best chowder is debatable, but you can bet on finding some of the best in Eastern North Carolina.
My title is not a mistake; I did say “healthy” chowder — especially clam chowder. Clams pack more iron than the amount found in beef liver; have significant amounts of vitamin B12, selenium, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, and decent amounts of vitamins A and E; and overall are a great source of nutrition and health benefits.
Traditionally, chowder contains seafood, but these days it can be any thick, rich soup with chunks of ingredients. Potatoes, onions, milk or cream, flour and clams are common but not mandatory. Corn chowders are almost as popular now as clam chowders.
To try some of the best Eastern N.C. chowders, take in the Sixth Annual Chowder Cook-Off from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 16 in Oriental. Tickets are $8, with 15 entries to sample. Guess who gets to be a lucky judge?
Manhattan Clam Chowder
31 ounces clams, canned (choose fresh if available)
4 slices bacon, chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced (about 10 oz.)
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded & diced (optional)
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (optional)
29 ounces diced tomatoes, canned
1 quart V8 juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup American parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme, fresh
Separate and reserve the juice (about 1 quart) from the clams.
Heat chopped bacon in a large stock pot on medium-high until browned, removing and reserving bacon pieces.
Sauté celery, onion, carrots, potato and jalapeño pepper in the bacon fat for about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook for 3 minutes and stir in clam juice. Add tomatoes, V8 and lemon juices, parsley, bay leaves and thyme.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Clam Chowder Makeover
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 strips bacon (4 ounces), chopped
1/4 cup flour
3 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk
1 1/2 pounds red thin-skinned potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams, drained
2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup half-and-half
Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrot and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a plate.
Cook bacon in pan until crisp. Drain on paper towels; discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly browned, about 1 minute. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly and letting mixture bubble between additions. Add potatoes, clams, juice, salt, pepper and reserved vegetables.
Simmer about 25 minutes. Add thyme and half-and-half. Sprinkle with bacon.
Chunky Fish and Shrimp Chowder
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
1 pound grouper fillets, thawed if frozen
1 pound tilapia fillets, thawed if frozen
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups chopped onion
10 cloves garlic, diced
7 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
3 carrots, sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced
1 cup canned sweet corn kernels, drained
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 quarts water, or as needed to cover
2 cups skim milk
1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut cream (not cream of coconut), or to taste
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour, or as needed (optional)
Mix lemon juice, basil, 1 tablespoon onion powder and salt in a large bowl; toss the shrimp, grouper and tilapia in the marinade. Remove fish fillets and allow shrimp to continue to marinate.
Cook grouper and tilapia fillets in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat about 3 minutes, just until outsides are white. Remove with a slotted spoon. Cook shrimp until firm and white on the outside, 3 to 5 minutes, sprinkling with black pepper and 1 more tablespoon onion powder.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot; cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is translucent and beginning to brown. Transfer shrimp to the pot and mix in potatoes, carrots, zucchinis, sweet corn and cilantro. Stir in water to cover and bring soup to a boil; simmer over medium-low heat about 30 minutes.
Stir in skim milk and coconut cream. Gently mix in grouper and tilapia fillets, bring all to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until fish are no longer translucent and break apart into chunks, about 10 more minutes.
For a thicker chowder, scoop about 1/2 cup of soup into a small bowl and whisk in whole wheat flour until smooth. Stir into the chowder and simmer about 5 more minutes. Makes 10 servings.
Tammy Kelly is director, Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center, 1791 N.C. 11/55, Kinston, NC 28504. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or Tammy_Kelly@ncsu.edu.