salvaging failed clam chowder

[iamahome]

Last night I spent way too long making vegan clam chowder

Comments

[surrealestate]

I'd use a whisk to get it nice and smooth. I think the "add slowly" means pour it in slowly/gradually, not mix slowly.

That sounds like an awesome recipe, though!

[iamahome]

That's what I meant... it just seemed like the flour/water was too dough-y and there was too much broth to whisk it in quickly enough to prevent cooked lumps.

But, anyway, it still turned out flavourless and blah-y.

[dagda_ollathir]

i usually add it before i start heating- works for me! the heat speeds up the lumping.

[shesingsnow]

Depth of flavor is needed. More seasonings. Hmm. I'd add a bay leaf for a while. IMHO, all the best chowders have a bay leaf in them. At this point, adding a leetle soy cream wouldn't hurt - the flour needs something more to bind with. Or, if you have it, you can toss in some tapioca.

[pendragon23]

At this point, since it tastes like flavorless country gravy, I would add gravy-like spices and turn it actually into gravy, then maybe use it in a casserole or stuffing or the like. Maybe savory spices like sage & thyme, with some season salt? Old bay + fake worcestershire? Or just hot-spice the hell out of it and eat it with bread?

I was going to try this recipe, which had been posted here a while back when someone asked for a recipe. I'm definitely going with the fake sour cream rather than flour and water, after your experience.

[iamahome]

Oh, that recipe looks much better - I'll have to try it, adding the seitclam from this recipe.

i love roux

[inquiet]

two tips.
add more salt. any roux you make will taste like paste until the proper amount of salt is added. then you will have yum.
2. whenever i make a roux i only add about a half cup of liquid at a time [or at the very least reserve half a cup of liquid to add in after you've thickened it down once]. it gives me a chance to be able to incorporate it all properly and cooks down super quick. then you can add more and it will do the same again. plus, when i do this i end up adding more at the end, which always reduces the amount of clumping [i almost never have had any, and everyone else i've ever talked to says it's such a problem].

[brokenhallelu]

Okay, I don't know if this will work, but adding celery seed to soups that aren't that good works really well for me... Though I don't usually make creamy soups. If conventional recipes for clam chowder call for chopped celery then I would try adding the celery seed. I think about 1/4tsp and work your way up if you need to.

Good luck!