I love this New England Paleo Clam Chowder. New England- that’s the white one! Also known as Boston clam chowder. I actually forget that there is the other kind; the one with tomatoes; Manhattan clam chowder… And I have to look it up every time. But I’ll remember this time, because of this article I found talking about New Englanders being so offended by the addition of tomatoes that in 1939 there was a bill making it illegal to do so. Wow. That is passionate.
I developed this recipe for paleo clam chowder, which is legal even in New England, with a friend (thanks Pam!) before Holley and I had even started The Primal Desire. I get funny cravings for things. These cravings… they stay with me, sometimes for weeks or months until they’re met. It happens with fish and chips some times. But New England clam chowder is the main one (get it? Maine one? I’m hilarious). I’m pretty excited about how good it is! Legit.
Ok, I have to tell you about something that happened last week. I won the largest prize that I’ve even been awarded: The Primal Palate (a site run by the fantastic couple Bill & Hayley Mason, the writers of the book on most of our shelves: Make It Paleo and others) had a Fall Fest recipe contest and selected my Curried Pumpkin & Apple with Raisins as the Best Savory Recipe! What an honor to be recognized by such paleo legends!
So I was talking to a buddy last night (it was until 4am – so if my thoughts seem a little disjointed it’s cause I didn’t get my usual beauty sleep), about all kinds of stuff, but one topic that I found has been sticking with me is time and thought. He told me that when he’s driving he doesn’t listen to music or the radio (I’m typically listening to educational programming or an audiobook when I’m in the car), but instead he explores his thoughts the entire time.
This got me thinking. How often do I, or most people, sit alone with their thoughts in silence? Even when I’m meditating, I’m trying to clear my head of thoughts. And the rest of the time I’ve always got something playing in the background: music, tv, the traffic outside my apartment, etc.
That explains why I have so many thoughts in the shower! It’s the only time I’m not listening to anything else. By the way, I’m still looking for a shower assistant to take dictations – That sounded much dirtier than it was meant to, haha.
So I’m wondering, do you ever just sit and think? What does that look like for you? When? Where? How often? Mull it over, like we did, over a bowl (or two) of this amazing New England Paleo Clam Chowder!
New England Paleo Clam Chowder
- Yield: 4 litres 1x
Ingredients
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 8 slices bacon (paleo- no sugar, diced)
- 4–5 carrots (chopped)
- 3 parsnips (chopped)
- 4–5 celery stalks (chopped)
- 2 cans coconut milk
- 1 cup (approx) clam juice
- 1 L fish or chicken stock
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 1 tbsp paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1.5 lbs white fish (i used cod)
- 1.5 lbs fresh clams (still in the shell? We’ve got instructions here) or 1 can baby clams (cut into smaller pieces)
- 1 handful fresh parsley (finely chopped)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, sautee onions in coconut oil until soft over medium heat.
- Add bacon and cook until browned.
- Add carrots, parsnips, and celery and cook for 5-10 min.
- Add coconut milk, clam juice, fish/chicken stock, Bay leaves, rosemary, paprika, salt & pepper.
- Simmer until parsnips are desired tenderness.
- Add fish and clams. They will only take a minute or two to cook thru. Taste test for seasoning (adjust salt as needed).
- Serve topped with fresh parsley.
Looking for something different to do with leftovers? Try the Clam Chowder Omelette!
You’re welcome for the chowder contribution 😉
As a massage therapist I have music playing in my treatment room all day long (I would prefer to work in silence but people find that awkward, lol). So, I keep my house free of background noise so that my thoughts can have free rein of my mind without other sounds competing for my attention. This past week I’ve even been doing my at home yoga practice in silence so that I can fully hear my own breath. Quiet time allows me to hear every subtle message coming my way and I find that invaluable!
Thanks again Pammy.
That’s awesome. This practice is new for you since your trip around the world, or were you doing this before as well? I’m thinking that you are not the norm, with all the quiet time you integrate into your life, am I right? Anyone else out there doing this?
I was definitely incorporating a lot of quiet time before my trip as well, I can’t even really remember when I started doing it…its been a regular thing for the past few years for sure. But the quiet yoga is new (loving it!) and my meditation time (when I’m not doing a deepak challenge) is silent too. Ya, you are probably right when you say that it’s not the norm. I know most people have the tv on to break the silence in a room, I only turn it on if I am actually sitting down to watch it with my full attention (which only happens once or twice a week). I only turn music on at home only when I’m entertaining guests. Don’t get me wrong, I love music, especially in the car, it pumps me up for the day and my iPod doesn’t leave my ears on long travel days (buses, planes, etc.).
I come from a big family so when we’re together I find comfort in loud conversations, hearty laughter and chaos but for my alone time, the quieter the better 🙂
Cool. With the big family thing I’d think someone like you would be even more uncomfortable with silence. Right on.
Love love love this recipe!
PS my quiet/thinking time happens in a bubble bath with candles – no music, just peaceful silence.
Love the soundcloud addition to your site!
Mauri! Thank you! (It was your fish I used this time.) Thanks again for the reminder that I had to add this one to the site – I was searching the old posts in the Paleo Food Porn group last night and discovered that I had posted that link waaaaaaayyyy back at the beginning. That’s how you had it lying around.
Bubble bath style. I like it.
And thanks, I’m hoping the audio will encourage a deeper connection with The Primal Desire tribe.
I totally think in the shower. Out loud. Yes. I admit it. For the first time every to anyone in public, I have full conversations with myself in the shower. I guess that isn’t really sitting and being quiet with thoughts but that’s how it plays out for me.
ps. congrats on the award Raj. That’s super exciting and obviously well deserved! high fives all around 🙂
Thanks Kristy!
So your conversations… are they productive? Do you get in arguments or are they all very amicable? Do you record them or have a shower assistant to take notes? I think I would find it less productive if I was speaking. Distracting even. But I’ll give it a shot anyway…
Aloha, do you chop the bacon before cooking it or leave the strips whole? Thanks
Yup, cut it up before cooking.