Potato Chowder Lots of Ways

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A chowder so basic you can play it any which way and end up with a satisfying soup. I call it a potato chowder because, well, it’s got potatoes, but it might more aptly be called an allium chowder because it’s got so many members of that tribe, including garlic, onions, leeks and shallots, which get cooked into the chowder, and scallions and chives, which get added at the end. If you have other family members at hand, maybe garlic scapes or ramps, they’d fit right in. The soup is not very thick or very rich, but it’s dense with vegetables and full of flavor. It’s also full of possibilities (see Playing Around).

Working Ahead

You can make the soup a day ahead up to the point where you add the cream; reheat and add the cream just before serving.

If you’re using bacon, lay the strips in a Dutch oven or large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, turning as needed, until cooked and crisp. Transfer the strips to a plate lined with paper towels — leave 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot — and cover with more paper towels; when the bacon is cool, chop into bits and keep until serving. Or, if you’re going meatless, warm the olive oil in the pot.

Add the leeks, onion, shallot and garlic to the pot and stir until coated with fat or oil, then season with salt, add the sugar and reduce the heat to low. Allow the vegetables to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until soft but not colored, about 20 minutes.

Pour in the broth, drop in the potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a steady simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft enough to break easily when prodded with a fork. You can use a masher or the back of a big spoon to mash some of the potatoes, to add another texture to the soup — an optional step, but one I usually take. (You can make the soup a day ahead up to this point and refrigerate it, covered.)

Just before serving, stir in the cream, half-and-half or milk, if you’re using it, and heat through, without boiling. Taste for salt and pepper — I think the soup tastes better with a generous amount of black pepper.

Ladle the soup out and, if you’d like, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt. Sprinkle with the bacon, if you have it, and, as you like, scallions, chives and/or other herbs.

 

Storing: The soup can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you’ve added cream or milk, the soup may look a little curdled when you reheat it, but it will still be tasty.

Fall and Winter Vegetable Chowder

Add cubes of butternut, acorn or Red Kuri squash to the soup either along with the potatoes or in place of them. Or swap the yellow potatoes for sweet potatoes. You could scatter shredded cheese — Gouda or sharp cheddar would be good — on top of the soup or offer cubes of cheese for nibbling alongside.

Spring Chowder

In addition to the potatoes, drop in pieces of peeled asparagus, sweet peas (frozen or fresh) and/or sugar snap or snow peas. If you’d like, finish with chopped fresh tarragon and dill.

Summer Chowder

Keep the potatoes and add zucchini and/or lots of corn cut from the cob. This version would be great with a little pesto drizzled over it and some shards of Parmesan.