‘TIS THE SEASON FOR SOUP
Cooler temperatures call for a full-flavoured homemade chowder
There’s something comforting about wrapping your hands around a steaming bowl of soup. It nourishes the belly, and on some days, the soul too. Alas, not all soups are created equal. On a recent dining-out excursion I ordered a bowl of seafood chowder because I had a craving for something warm and satisfying. But this gloop was nothing like the chowder of my dreams. It was thin, milky, heavy on cubed potatoes, and not much in the way of seafood save for some sad, canned clams. This so-called seafood chowder was the limp handshake of the soup world. Anticipation was high but the result was less than satisfactory. Not even the saltine crackers served on the side could save it. I don’t think I’ll be scarred for life, but it sure had me aching to get back into my kitchen to make a chowder the way I like it. Now that summer is officially over and the temperature is falling, soup weather is here. I don’t want you to make a limphandshake soup like I experienced at that restaurant. I want you to make a soup that you and your family will rave about. The best way to make a great soup is to start with excellent ingredients. Fresh, local vegetables and homemade stock are important, but if you have to use the broth out of the box in a pinch that’s OK too. Sometimes we have to pick our battles when it comes to cooking. The most important thing is that you’re making food from scratch. The following recipe is the chowder of my dreams: thick, well seasoned, and loaded with vegetables and protein. It’s got all of the key players in the mirepoix, and lots of potatoes. I want a chowder heaving with potatoes, not one here and there. Broccoli is the star of the show, but if it’s not your favourite, sub in cauliflower, mushrooms, diced butternut squash, and/or corn. This chowder is full of meat. In this case it’s cooked chicken but you could use cooked ham, turkey, or at the last stage, some seafood instead. If you want the soup to be vegetarian, add a few cups of cooked red lentils and you won’t be disappointed. That’s what I love about soup, it can be so flexible and dependent on what you have in the fridge. If you love bacon, save some of the drippings the next time you fry it, and cook the vegetables in the bacon fat instead of butter. That’s a major flavour builder right there. If you have any bacon leftover from breakfast (like that ever happens), add some to the soup near the end of cooking. Bacon really does make most things better. Using milk instead of cream will result in a thinner soup, but if you want to go that route, evaporated milk is a good option. When it comes to seasoning, your spice cupboard is your best friend. Here I used mustard powder, dried thyme leaves and paprika (smoked is best but sweet will do). Dijon stirred in at the end adds even more zing, and let’s face it, some days we can all use a bit more zing.
CREAMY BROCCOLI, CHEDDAR AND CHICKEN CHOWDER
2 Tbsp butter ■ 1 onion, diced ■ 4 carrots, chopped ■ 2 celery stalks, chopped ■ 3 garlic cloves, minced ■ 1 tsp salt ■ ¼ tsp pepper ■ 4 cups chopped potatoes ■ 1 tsp dry mustard powder ■ 1 tsp dried thyme leaves ■ 1 tsp paprika (smoked or sweet) ■ 5 cups low-sodium chicken or ■ vegetable stock 6 cups chopped broccoli ■ 3 cups chopped, cooked chicken ■ 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar ■ 2 Tbsp cornstarch ■ ½ cup whipping cream ■ ½ cup half and half ■ 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard ■ 1. Warm the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions, carrots and celery. Sauté for about five minutes, until the vegetables are slightly softened. Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper and cook another minute. Add the potatoes, mustard powder, thyme, paprika and cook another five minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, turn down the heat to mediumlow and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Stir in the broccoli, chicken, and cheddar. 3. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch with one to two tablespoons of water until smooth. Pour this into the soup and simmer for five minutes. Stir in the whipping cream, half and half, and Dijon and cook for another few minutes until the soup is warmed through and the potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes six servings.