Chowder

I love clam chowder. It's one of my favorite comfort foods. But the real deal has milk and cream, which doesn't work for we, the paleo inclined. I saw a recipe somewhere that used coconut milk, which just sounded... wrong. But I really wanted chowder and I had a pint of shucked clams in the freezer.

Just in case, I bought some ginger, scallions, lime, straw mushrooms, lemongrass and cilantro. I figured if it tasted at all coconutty, I could simply Thai the soup up.

I made homemade dashi, but you could use fish stock. Maybe 4 cups? I only measure when I bake, but that seems about right. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add a couple of cloves of minced garlic and a finely chopped yellow onion. And a bay leaf and some fresh ground pepper. Toss in as many chopped clams as you want, with the juice. I threw in some shrimp, too, and I bet scallops would be amazing. When the shrimp is done cooking - or after just a few minutes if you're being a clam puritan - add as much coconut milk as you want: a little if you like your chowder more broth, or up to a full can if you like it creamy.

I tasted my soup. No hint of coconut. The Thai accoutrements stayed in the fridge. I lapped up my chowder like a hungry Maine lobsterman.