Foodies rejoice! Epcot's Food and Wine Festival starts today and runs through November 16. For those of you who can't visit during the event, or are getting antsy before your trip, we'll be posting recipes throughout the fall. To kick us off, we have a copycat recipe for New England Clam Chowder from the Hops and Barley Marketplace Booth in the American pavilion.
The only caveat is that this soup isn't being served this year. I'm bummed about that, since I really love clam chowder. And obviously I still went ahead and made the soup, even though it's not on the menu in 2015. Like I said, I really love clam chowder.
What You Need
Soup pot or dutch oven
Small saucepan
Whisk, wooden spoon, chopping knife, ladle
Cutting board
Measuring cups
Ingredients
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup flour
2 T olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1 large white onion, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 small-medium red potatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams, undrained
2 cups of clam juice
2 cups half and half
Salt and pepper
Tabasco sauce
1 t dried thyme
1 t dried basil
1 bay leaf
Directions
1. Saute onion and celery in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in potatoes, clams, clam juice, herbs, and add salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste. Simmer until potatoes are soft.
3. When the potatoes are almost cooked, start the roux. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour. Whisk constantly for 5 minutes.
4. Add one ladle of soup to the roux and mix. Add three more ladles of soup to the roux and mix. Combine the soup/roux with the rest of the soup in the pot, and stir until well mixed.
5. Add half and half and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Taste, and more Tabasco, salt or pepper to your preference. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more half and half (we did!). Once the flavors and consistency are good, serve hot.
Soup pot or dutch oven
Small saucepan
Whisk, wooden spoon, chopping knife, ladle
Cutting board
Measuring cups
Ingredients
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup flour
2 T olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1 large white onion, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 small-medium red potatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams, undrained
2 cups of clam juice
2 cups half and half
Salt and pepper
Tabasco sauce
1 t dried thyme
1 t dried basil
1 bay leaf
Directions
1. Saute onion and celery in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in potatoes, clams, clam juice, herbs, and add salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste. Simmer until potatoes are soft.
3. When the potatoes are almost cooked, start the roux. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour. Whisk constantly for 5 minutes.
4. Add one ladle of soup to the roux and mix. Add three more ladles of soup to the roux and mix. Combine the soup/roux with the rest of the soup in the pot, and stir until well mixed.
5. Add half and half and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Taste, and more Tabasco, salt or pepper to your preference. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more half and half (we did!). Once the flavors and consistency are good, serve hot.
Brad and I made this for a family dinner, and it was a big hit. As soon as we said "Disney recipe" and "clam chowder," everyone was on board.
The recipe is really easy, it's basically chop, stir, simmer. Try it this weekend with some crusty bread and you have yourself a tasty lunch or light dinner!
Let us know how your soup comes out!