Corn chowder recipes?

[readingredhead]

Almost a year ago, I moved away from Berkeley, CA where one of my favorite comfort foods year-round was corn chowder from a restaurant called Smart Alec's (their motto: healthy food fast!). I've tried to reproduce it once or twice but it never comes out thick enough and the flavor is always too bland. I've lost the recipes I tried last summer and

Comments

[bandicoot]

I've never made chowder, but I've often shucked corn, wrapped it in plastic wrap and frozen it for several months so I can have good tasting corn on the cob in the middle of the winter.

You can do the same thing when your garden is overrun with fresh tomatoes - freeze them in a plastic bag, and when you're ready to use them for cooking, drop them one by one still frozen in boiling water for a few minutes. Fish them out, slip the skins off, and they're ready for cooking.

[loototherah]

Just to throw it out there, since I don't have any recipes myself, you could always try calling the restaurant and explain your predicament! They may at least tell you what's in it, even if they won't give you the measurements. My instinct would be to throw in some basil and parsley. Good luck!

[spaceprostitute]

Actually, this is what I came here to say as well. I'm not sure why more people don't just try this - maybe they think restaurants are super-secretive about everything. The reality is that there are a large number of restaurants out there that are more than willing to share their recipes when asked. The only exceptions I've come across are sometimes chain restaurants (and actually, more often than not a lot of their stuff actually comes premade from SYSCO already anyway) or restaurants who have come up with some proprietary formula that they specifically market under and/or try to cash in on in other ways (like bottling their sauces to sell in stores, for one example). Otherwise, most chefs/cooks are actually ridiculously accommodating when it comes to stuff like that. Especially if you mention you no longer live in the area? Then it's not exactly like they're competing for your dollar anyway - most people eat out for convenience and or the social aspect of it, not because they can't figure out how to make the recipe at home.

[turple_purtle]

Here's a close chowder recipe our family loves. Mom has even quadrupled the amounts and had a nice stock in the freezer. You could certainly keep the bell peppers and onions and remove the tuna!

Tuna Cheddar Chowder1 1/2 cups water (SEE NOTE BELOW

[parapraxess]

This is my go-to recipe

[lunanoir]

My favorite corn chowder recipe