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Often it becomes a puzzling situation to decide what to cook for dinner. Especially when the need is for something easy-to-prepare, healthy and not too heavy on the stomach, it turns into a dodo moment. I know, like me, many people will immediately suggest soup. With that intent, I embarked on a search for recipes and stumbled upon potato chowder. And I was convinced that it was a perfect pick. The consistency of potato chowder is similar to that of stew; it is thick, creamy, and full of chunks. In contrast to potato soup, this recipe calls for a substantial amount of milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream in addition to the broth. While soup recipes typically call for nothing but broth or stock.
Usually, a chowder is more analogous to a stew than a soup. On the other hand, many use the phrases soup, stew, and chowder in a relatively interchangeable sense. Although loaded baked potato soup more commonly resembles a stew or chowder in terms of its viscosity, some home chefs continue to refer to it as a soup.
Delish and creamy chowder, Image Source: theridgemarketplace@Instagram
For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the term, "chowder" refers to a dish resembling a thick soup made by combining milk or cream, a roux, and fish or vegetables. Chowders can be served with either oyster crackers or saltines as a side item, and individual cracker pieces can be sprinkled on top of the meal. The traditional ingredients for New England clam chowder include chopped clams, diced potatoes, a base consisting of a combination of cream and milk, and frequently a touch of butter. Other common types of chowder include seafood chowder, which consists of fish, clams, and many different kinds of shellfish; lamb or veal chowder made with barley; corn chowder, which uses corn instead of clams; a wide variety of fish chowders; and potato chowder, which is frequently made with cheese. All of these chowders are typically served hot. Chowder made with clams, fish, and corn is a regional speciality in several parts of North America, including New England and Atlantic Canada.
Let's learn how to make creamy potato chowder for dinner!
Potato Chowder
The classic potato chowder, Image Source: gabicoffeebakery@Instagram
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 pounds potatoes, cubed
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ minced chives
- 6 strips of crispy cooked bacon
Method:
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot, like a Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook them for about 2 minutes until they smell good and are translucent.
- Put in the garlic and continue cooking for another three minutes. Mix the flour into the onion and garlic mixture until everything is coated. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the chicken stock and milk, stirring all the time to keep lumps from forming. Turn the heat up to medium-high and let the chowder base come to a boil, which should take about 5 minutes.
- Add the cubed potatoes, salt, and black pepper once the water is boiling. The ingredients should be cooked for 20 minutes or until the chowder is the proper consistency and the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the heavy cream. For another 10 minutes, cook the ingredients over low heat.
- Pour the chowder into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, chives, and chopped bacon.
