This weekend’s Super Bowl XLVI brings on yet another reason to gather, party and entertain. This year there is so much anticipation waiting for the re-match on Gameday. Although I may feel a sense of team loyalty towards one of the teams, I have good friends rooting for the Giants and New England. Today I am prepared to make all the fans happy.
New York is known as a melting pot of food culture with its strong ethnic roots, while New England may scream fish at first thought, but today its core is just as robust in ethnic foods as NYC. So with this in mind, I've taken two very popular chowders representing each team.
Make them both, serve separately; or mix them fifty-fifty—I have named this chowder-mixture a Hoosier Chowder in honor of Indiana the host city. Either way, they’re both delicious and winners!
Manhattan Chowder
Makes 6-8 servings | From Grilling with Chef George Hirsch Cookbook
1 Tablespoon olive oil
8 cloves caramelized garlic
1/4 cup sweet onion
1/2 cup each celery & carrots, red bell peppers, chopped
2 cups yukon potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 pieces
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped or 1 (28 ounce can chopped tomatoes)
2 cups chicken broth
1 pint clams with juice, chopped
1 teaspoon hot sauce
fresh ground pepper to taste
Add olive oil to preheated soup pot. Saute onions, celery, peppers, garlic and carrots until tender. Add potatoes, paprika, thyme, basil and bay leaf. Add tomato sauce and tomatoes, chicken broth and hot sauce. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and add clams. Cook for 20-30 minutes. Add fresh ground black pepper to taste & serve immediately.
New England Cod Chowder
Makes 6-8 servings | Adapted From Grilling with Chef George Hirsch Cookbook
2 pounds cod, diced into 1/2-inch cubes; or 1 pint clams with juice, chopped
1/4 pound salt pork or slab bacon, chopped fine
2 large sweet onions, diced small
4 cups yukon potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups fish broth, or clam juice or combination chicken broth
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
2 Tablespoons sweet butter
Cook the salt pork in a large soup pot until it gives up all it's fat and remove pieces. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn a very light brown - but do not over brown. Add the potato and broth and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the cod and cook for 5 minutes or until fully cooked. Stir in the cream, hot sauce, parsley, and pepper. Whisk in butter and serve immediately.
Hoosier Chowder
Prepare both chowders. To serve, mix half & half of Manhattan + New England Chowders into preheated bowls and stir.
