Clam chowder and scones are a Redfern family tradition.
Mr. R makes his grandmother’s recipe that his mom used to make for him. He told me that she always seemed to make it on the first cold day of autumn after football practice and that she always had perfect timing. So darling!
With permission, I am allowed to pass this family tradition onto you …with a couple of Mr. R edits.
This clam chowder is chunky with lots of potatoes. It’s a little spicy thanks to a couple secret ingredients. And it does not taste like clams.
Chunky Non-Clammy Clam Chowder
1/4 pound bacon (at the r house we use a whole package–whatever that is)
1 large onion
1 can minced clams
1/2 cup water
6 potatoes (medium size)-largely chopped
3 celery stalks–finely chopped
1 can corn
salt, pepper and sage to taste
1 cup milk (we use whole)
1 cup half and half
3 tablespoons butter
flour
SECRET INGREDIENTS:
Old Bay (to taste but probably 2 tablespoons or more)
cayenne pepper (to taste but start with a thin layer on top of the soup mixture in the pot)
Fry bacon. Add onion to the frying bacon and cook onions until clear. Dump into large pot.
*Tip: Cut the bacon into bite-size portions before you start cooking it.
Add the calms (with the sauce in the can), 1/2 cup water, potato chunks, celery, corn, 1 cup milk, salt, pepper, and sage.
In a separate little sauce pan make the following to thicken the soup:
To the 2 tablespoons of melted butter, add 1 cup of half and half and add flour until bubbly and thick. Slowly add 1/2 cup liquid from the soup and mix.
Add cream mixture to soup.
Cook soup until potatoes are tender.
Add in SECRET INGREDIENTS to taste: Old Bay and cayenne pepper
1 cup scalded milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 packages yeast
In a small sauce pan, scald 1 cup milk.
At the same time, in a large mixing bowl, dissolve 2 packages of yeast to 1/2 cup warm water. After yeast is dissolved, add a pinch of sugar to yeast/water mix and let stand for 10 minutes. If the yeast doubles in size, then the yeast is active. If it does not double …start again with a new package of yeast.
To milk add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 butter and then let the mixture cool for a bit. You don’t want to add this mixture to the yeast while it is hot because it will kill the yeast.
When cool, add milk mixture to yeast mixture in large mixing bowl.
Beat two eggs in a separate bowl and add beaten eggs to mixture in the mixing bowl.
Add 4 cups of flour and blend until smooth.
Add additional flour until it loosens its stickiness and feels smooth.
Place in a cold oven, covered with a towel and let rise (double in size) for about an hour and a half.
When mixture has doubled, remove from cold oven, pull pieces of dough and fry in hot vegetable oil.
*Amazingly delicious with honey butter.
