“Best” Recipes

When you love to eat good food, it’s essential that you learn to cook. That way you can have your favorites whenever you want, and it allows you to come up with your own recipes without having to be at the mercy of a particular chef’s taste. It’s also very rewarding to share something that you’ve poured your heart and soul into with the people that you care about.
It is my opinion that the best food is cooked by someone who loves to eat whatever it is that they are cooking. Although, I’m sure that any good chef who has an extensive understanding of ingredients and techniques can make just about anything taste good, I think that it’s a little dishonest to serve something to others that you don’t like yourself. That’s because cooking to me is a form of communication. And the most effective communication is delivered with conviction for what is being offered, and a sense of affininty for who it is being share with.
My “best” recipes represent a few of my favorite things to eat, which I’ve spent a great deal of time and care perfecting into dishes that I absolutely love. Each is a little piece of me, and as such is a continual work in progress as I learn about new ingredients and my culinary knowledge expands. Therefore, you will find that they change slightly over time. However, for the time being, they are what I consider the best possible version of each dish.
I offer them to my friends to try and enjoy. Bon apetite!

Best Clam Chowder

If you grew up in the Seattle area, you’ll know about clam chowder! It’s a Northwest specialty and one of my all-time favorites. This is my take on it.

Note: The secret to exceptional chowder is to not skimp on the ingredients. Canned clam meat and juice may be substituted but the final product will not be the same.

Ingredients

• 6 lbs. live steamer clams (produces about 1 ½ cups of clam meat)
• 6 oz. dry white wine
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 cup yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed into ½-inch chunks
• 2 oz. Custom Culinary Master’s Touch All Natural Clam Base,
• 1 tsp. marjoram
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 slices smoked bacon, cut into ½-inch strips
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp. dill
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. white pepper
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt to taste
• 3 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

In a large pot bring water and white wine to a boil. Add clams, cover and cook for five minutes, or until most of the clams have opened. Remove the clam meat from the shells, chop into ½-inch pieces and set aside.
Strain the liquid (clam broth) into a clean stock pot being careful to remove any sand. (You should have about 3 cups of broth. If not, add enough water to bring the volume up to 3 cups.) Add potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil. Add clam base and simmer lightly for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes soften.

In a separate pot fry the bacon until the fat is rendered. Add the butter and sauté the onion, celery, garlic and and all spices (except dill and parsley) until the onions become transparent. Sprinkle the flour into the fat and vegetable mixture to make a roux. Cook over low heat for several minutes, taking care not to let it brown or burn.

[Note: For a thinner chowder use less flour, or for a gluten-free version, mash some of the potatoes instead of making the roux.]
Add the clam broth a cup at a time and whisk until smooth. Add the potatoes and remaining broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the clams and heavy cream, and season with pepper and dill. Adjust seasoning with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Set aside for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. Then slowly reheat over low heat, being careful not to bring to a boil.
Serve immediately garnished with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Updated: September 4, 2012