In nearly every pub worth a damn in Ireland, you’re gonna find Irish Stew or Seafood Chowder. Both are almost always delicious. I frickin’ love eating in pubs! The chowder especially is a standout to me. It’s usually served with soda bread (not my favorite) and is brothy/creamy. Never overly thickened, which I love. Our Clam Chowder at Mabel is a perennial classic and we feature it often. It’s on our menu as I write this. Similar in style, it’s not thickened and eats more like an entree than a cup of soup before the meal. I recommend a whole crusty baguette warmed in the oven to go with it.
The clams.
We use Manila clams, but little necks or cockles will work too. We soak them in a salt water bath for about an hour and will sometimes change the water up to 5 times over a few hours if the clams won’t purge. A pinch of cracked pepper, splash of vinegar, handful of cornmeal is rumored to help the clams purge but sometimes salt water is all you need. It helps to rinse the clams well before purging. Test one or two clams by cooking in a little water in a pan and eating it once it opens. If gritty, keep purging.
Alternatives:
You can use mussels instead or as well. Or get a whole bunch of different seafood items. It’s up to you! I love this dish with some fresh Great Lakes walleye too.
You will need:
1 onion, minced
8 stalks celery, minced
2 lb Idaho potato, peeled, diced into a consistent size and blanched in salted water until tender. Then shocked in ice water.
2 oz whole butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart high quality heavy cream (we use Guernsey)
1 small jalapeño. Shaved very thin on a mandolin.
1/2 cup oyster crackers. You can make or buy.
1 juicy lemon
1 tablespoon Tabasco
Method:
In a wide and shallow sauce pan or Dutch Oven, sweat the celery and onion in the butter. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Add the clams (or seafood) and sauté with the vegetables. Add the white wine. Reduce slightly. If cooking clams, wait until they begin to open. Then add the cream, more salt and the potatoes. Let simmer while stirring. Once all of the seafood is fully cooked, turn the heat down low or off. Add the lemon and Tabasco to taste. I like my chowder fully seasoned.
Warm the baguette in the oven.
Gently ladle the chowder into a large bowl. Garnish with oyster crackers and shaved jalapeno.
At the restaurant we drizzle and herb oil and sometimes add chervil or chive. These are nice touches and really pretty! But you can skip if you’re more of a minimalist.
A proper hot whiskey cocktail
Simpler than a hot toddy but equally as warming - the recipe below is adapted from the Mabel Gray Sortilege Toddy cocktail and the hot whiskey recipe from Bon Appétit.
You will need:
1.5oz Irish whiskey (I prefer Jameson, Chef likes Redbreast 12yr). You can use a rye whiskey or bourbon here, if you must.
1 tablespoon Michigan maple syrup or 2 teaspoons demerara sugar
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice (to taste)
8oz hot water (required to dissolve the sweetening agent!)
Festive garnishes: clove studded lemon, a ribbon of apple, a cinnamon stick, a star anise pod…
Combine all ingredients in your favorite (ideally warmed) mug. Stir until sweetener has dissolved. Add your preferred garnishes. Get cozy.