One of the many culinary delights I experienced on a recent trip to the US with my fiancee was Clam Chowder, served in a sourdough bowl. Delicious!
I’m rather fond of cooking (although, ironically, I don’t eat game), and I’ve experimented with a few dishes since we got back, which I’ve been quite happy with.
Anyway, I like soups- I make an awesome French Onion soup, if I do say so myself- and I thought I might try my hand at a white Clam Chowder.
I found a couple of recipes online, of which this ingredients list (from Wikibooks) is fairly typical:
* 1 pound canned clams, minced, or 12 ounces frozen, thawed
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 1 medium potato, diced
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 1 cup boiling water
* 3 ounces salt pork, diced
* 1½ quarts milk, scalded
* 1 tablespoon butter
* Salt and pepper to taste
Now, the most immediate obstacle is the fact that we don’t have Clams in Australia. I’m localising the dish by using Green Mussels from New Zealand (readily available in the supermarket), but I’ve got no idea what “Salt Pork” is or where to get it. Wikipedia says it’s similar to bacon, but fattier and saltier. Given that fatty and salty foods are generally bad for you, and Salt Pork isn’t available here, I’m thinking about using lean bacon instead, but I’m not sure how suitable it’s going to be.
Any other cooking enthusiasts out there able to offer any help, ideas, or suggestions?