Ok, so it’s the only garlic chowder I’ve ever tried, but it is fantastic! I got the recipe from a restaurant in San Francisco called ‘The Stinking Rose’, where every dish is full of garlic. (I found the recipe on-line, so I imagine it’s ok to pass it on.) This recipe made almost 4 quarts, so I think I might double or triple it and can some up (I’ll leave the cream and parsley until I heat it up to eat it)
Garlic Chowder
1/4 cup olive oil
4 ounces bacon, diced (optional)
2 medium onions, diced
1/2 bunch celery, diced
1-2 fresh leeks, cleaned and chopped
5 heads roasted garlic (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups chicken stock
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup whipping cream (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
In large pot, heat olive oil. Add bacon, if using, saute briefly, and then add onions, celery and leeks. Saute until onions are translucent.
Remove roasted garlic cloves from head by squeezing the roasted head. Add the soft cloves to pot.
Add thyme, potatoes and chicken stock. Bring to simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cream and parsley. Remove from heat and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
To make Roasted Garlic:
Preheat oven to 375
Cut off the tips of the cloves (while the garlic is still part of a head) and place whole garlic head on a baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minute.
Cool and pop/peel the garlic cloves out of their skins.
That chowder sounds really good – I will have to try it. I have been reading your blog for awhile now and really enjoy it. You inspired me to make some soap this past weekend. I had such a hard time finding Lye but finally did and had fun making a batch. My thermometer failed and so I was not sure when the lye was at the right temperature. I have a few more questions if you wouldn’t mind answering. Mine took almost 25 minutes before I thought it had traced. Is that normal or do you think the temp. being off messed it up. Do you have other recipes for soap you have tried yourself? I wanted to make a masculine soap and wondered if you had ideas. Thanks so much.
Yeah, sometimes it takes a while to trace… I think it does have to do with temperature. I think the first time my hubby made soap it took him over an hour to get a trace. It will also depend on what ingredients you add/change. Some create an extremely fast trace and some slow it down. Generally most of my recipes take under 15 minutes.
I have lots of other recipes I can share… in fact, I’m writing a class for a conference next summer. I can send you the notes if you’d like… just send along your address (It will be this spring before I write the whole thing, but I can send along some recipes before that.)
This chowder sounds like it’s right up my alley! I’ve been craving meat and cream and lots of garlic and I’m inclined to listen when my body asks for something, especially while I’m incubating another life!! I’m going to the store tonight to get the ingredients!! Oh and as for the last commentors question, I’m making soaps for christmas too and was wondering if you had any suggestions on blends of herbs and oils for a more woodsy manly smell. I was thinking Cedarwood but I don’t know what I would mix that with.
Thanks!!
Incubating another life??? Wait a minute? Did I know this??? Congratulations!!! How far along is the little munchkin?
OK, woodsy smells…. I like bay laurel, clove, anything from the pine family. My husband really likes peppermint with poppy seeds stirred in. Tingly and scrubby!
I had this at “The stinking Rose” Years ago, and loved it. I tried this tonight. I think l baked the garlic too long. The cloves were too soft, and came out like toothpaste. It was good, but l missed the whole, soft cloves. I also added a pound of shrimp after simmering the potatoes. Excellent!