Chowders are thick soups containing fish or shellfish and vegetables such as potatoes and onions in a milk or tomato base. People most often associate these hearty soups with cold New England winters, but the Gulf of Mexico also has a history with them. Poor people living on the coast were able to supplement a diet of salted, preserved meat and inexpensive potatoes with seafood they caught or harvested. Meme would prepare this soup in the fall more often, using fatback for salt and flavor instead of bacon. Both meats produce a smoky, salty layer of flavor that is complemented by the sweet oysters. Use canola oil if you prefer a lighter, healthier version.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons (see page 179); 1 ounce fatback; or 2 tablespoons canola oil

　　2 leeks, white and pale green parts, well washed (see page 232), halved horizontally, and thinly sliced into half-moons

　　2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　4 cups bottled clam juice

　　1 1/2 cups milk

　　1 1/2 cups heavy cream

　　2 (8-ounce) containers of oysters, drained, juices reserved

　　2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　1 sprig of thyme

　　1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

　　2 tablespoons dry sherry

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

In a saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the leeks and saute, stirring often, until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour and stir to combine. Whisk in the clam juice, milk, cream, and reserved oyster juice. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low. Add the thyme and bay leaf, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the oysters and simmer, uncovered, until they are heated through and their edges begin to curl, about 3 minutes. Remove the thyme and bay leaf and discard. Add the sherry and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

　　

oysters

Step 2

Sometimes containers of oysters contain bits of shell or grit. To clean the oysters, strain them in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, allowing the juice to pass into the bowl. Examine the oysters and remove any bits of shell. Use the strained juice in the chowder for extra oyster flavor.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.