Previously, TheCharlie at Cybernex Inc. wrote:

If you're like me and you want some 'stick to your ribs' kinda food when the weather

gets cold, you might like this. I must warn you though.. I love garlic and this recipe

reflects that. Don't kiss anyone who hasn't eaten this. This is a 'drop yer

drawers-good' clam chowdah .. but if you don't like clams you can substitute as noted.

This stuff tastes good and it'll warm your innards when you come in from

shoveling that 8" of 'partly cloudy' they predicted last night. You can make it in a few

minutes and impress the guests.

PS.. clam chowdah is a New England tradition. It is white. It is thick and creamy. If

you push the oyster crackers down to the bottom of the bowl, you should never see them

again. It is full of cholesterol. It is not a diet food. It isn't even good for you.

That red stuff they call 'Manhattan Clam Chowder' is soup. Clam soup sucks.

Charlie's clam chowdah (it tastes more authentic if you pronounce it this way)

4 medium potatos, diced

1 medium onion, diced

5-6 celery stalks creamed in a food processor

2-6.5 oz cans chopped clams

2 10 oz cans Bookbinders clam broth

1 10 oz can baby clams

1 qt light cream

1 stick butter

1 tsp cruched garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

white pepper

sea salt

secret thickening agent

In a soup pot, brown the potato and onion in the olive oil. When they start to

brown, add the celery and the clam broth, using the extra broth from the cans of clams.

Cover and simmer till the potatos are almost tender. Add the garlic, salt and white

pepper and simmer another 5 minutes.

Slowly add the cream, clams and then the butter. Heat slowly and DO NOT BOIL!

When the butter has melted, but before coming to a boil, thicken it with a little

'instant mashed potato powder' You know the stuff... looks like potatos on the box?

Looks like flour on the inside? Add this slowly... add only a little, stir and wait about

10 seconds before adding any more. (It takes a few seconds to thicken .. if you don't add it

slowly and wait, it'll get too thick.)

Clams get tough if they are boiled. Cream will break if it is boiled. Don't boil

this stuff!

Scoop it into a mug or bowl and test the consistency with the oyster crackers.

If they get lost in the bowl, you did good.

One of my friends HATES clams, so I substitute them with chopped fresh

mushrooms, adding them with the cream. This way they don't get too mushy and

they go great in a chowder anyway, although it isn't traditional.

Some people might not like this much garlic. For this amount of chowder (If I

were cooking for someone else) I would use about 1/4 tsp of crushed garlic and

probably add it to the potato and onion, letting most of the garlic flavor cook out during

the sautee.

This amount should serve about 6 people if this is dinner. Maybe 12 if it is just an

appetizer. It lasts me about 5 nights. It reheats well and gets MUCH thicker

when refrigerated. DO NOT be tempted to thin it with milk... it thins out when

heated.

DO NOT tell your doctor I gave you this recipe. (unless he gives me a cut from

the triple bypass proceeds...)