Veggie Kitchen Wednesday

I've been thinking a while about doing this, creating another "day," this one dedicated to recipes and vegetarian cooking (although there will probably be some fish thrown in every now and then). This is as much for me as for anyone else as I tend to forget recipes-- it doesn't help that I never write them down.

As a cook, I dedicate any creativity or spunk I have in the kitchen to both my great-grandmother and my father. My great-grandmother, who lived to be nearly 98, was an inspired cook. On special days she would whip up a roast, biscuits from scratch, creamed corn (that she grew), lima beans (ditto), stewed tomatoes, and at least two or three cakes and pies including fresh strawberry cake, caramel cake, lemon pie, and chocolate pie, all from scratch. Keep in mind she was doing this in my lifetime, and she was already 82 when I was born. She never measured a thing, not even when baking, pouring and seasoning just by memory and instinct.

My father's cooking style is very creative. He picked up that no-measuring thing from his grandmother, having watched her cook for the 50 years he had her in his life. But nothing scares him-- his philosophy is that if it ends up not tasting good, there's a pizza place down the street. And he never apologizes for his mistakes in the kitchen, something he says he learned from Julia Child. Unfortunately he can't seem to ever make the same thing twice, but that just forces you to remember to savor each bite of something wonderful as if it was your last.

Since it's finally cold here, at a chilly 52 outside today, I decided I'd start this off with my potato chowder recipe. I, like my father and his grandmother before him, don't measure. I guesstimate. I've never made a recipe exactly as it's stated-- I take it and twist it up, substitute, strip it down to its bare bones and redress. Recipes are just inspiration for me; at the most they are vague guidelines. This original recipe started out with boxed potato flakes and no other vegetables, but I've turned it into a combination of potato soup and corn chowder. I encourage you to take this as inspiration and make it your own!


Scarlethue's Potato Chowder
serves 4 as a meal, 6-8 as a side/appetizer (I always make too much so I have leftovers)

5-6 good size yukon gold potatoes (if you get big ones, go for 5, otherwise 6 is better. can't really have too much), chopped small
1/2 cup frozen yellow corn kernels
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped finely
1/3 cup finely chopped celery (sometimes I add this, sometimes I don't)
10.5 ounces of vegetable broth (use the best stuff you can find, organic is better to skip the MSG)
1.5 cups water
1/4 to 1/3 cup half and half (based on preference. You could use cream)

Put the potatoes, corn, carrots, celery, and onion in a large saucepan, and pour over the broth and water so that the veggies are just covered (add more broth/water mix if you went overboard on potatoes). Cover the pot and simmer on medium for about 35-45 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Get out your potato masher and start smooshing up the potatoes right in the same pot. This is what makes it more like chowder and less like chunky soup, but hey if you like chunks, leave this step out. Once you've got it significantly mashed, pour in the half and half, stir and heat through another 5 minutes. Serve with crusty bread or biscuits. It's very filling!

While writing this I just thought about adding leeks instead of celery.... Let your veggie imagination run wild!