Help! Canned Clam Chowder

[Glenn J]

What can I add to make it better (other than chopped clams)?

[toodie jane]

Daisy would say add some sofrito!

[JudiAU]

Why not combine the suggested additions (milk, cream, bacon, clams, and black pepper) add some potatoes and skip the library paste altogether?

[sheiladeedee]

Corn! how could I forget corn?

[prunefeet]

Oddly butter and black pepper do wonders. But it depends on what brand you are starting with. I find that doxsee is really good, if it still exists. But try the butter and black pepper (and salt if necessary).

[phoenikia]

a splash of sherry and some crumbled dried rosemary...

[sheiladeedee]

If you don't care about authenticity, you could add some crumpled bacon, butter, chives or scallions chopped, and if you have thinned it with heavy cream and heated it thoroughly, a squeeze of lemon juice. I would add the chopped canned clams with their juice, too. Most of the canned chowders do have potato in them already.

[Bostonbob3]

Ya know, Legal Seafoods here in Boston will send their chowder to you. Actually they'll send a lot of their stuff to you.

http://shop.legalseafoods.com/

I personally find their chowder to be a little too thick, but lots of people here absolutely love it. And it's definitely better than nasty canned chowder.

[coll]

If your chowder's too thick, thin it with clam juice.

[JMF]

Butter, black pepper, cayenne, and bacon lardons.

[cheryl_h]

How about adding fresh or frozen fish? To me the clams in canned clam chowder have very little flavor. Adding fish or clams would at least make it taste like it came from the sea.

[cookinuptop]

If it's condensed, use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk. Some chopped bacon. I like to add a dash or two of Worcestershire, but that can get you kicked out of New England.

[monkeyrotica]

If it's the condensed kind, add heavy cream and whole milk in equal parts. Tablespoon of butter would help some. If you're fat averse, add some chicken or seafood stock. You can also thicken it by adding grated potato (white, not the waxy kind). Makes it more of a stew.

I take mine with a dash of Tabasco. Makes it a little pink and I'd probly get shot in New England but I'm not there so nya-nya-nya.

[Glenn J]

White

[Val]

White or red? If it's red, maybe some fresh thyme and/or additional bay leaf, even a little chopped cooked bacon.