Chowder is an all-year, all-weather soup. When the weather is wet and chilly, there’s nothing more comforting than hunkering over a steaming bowl of chowder, with seafood and chunky potatoes jockeying for space in a rich and creamy stew. When the weather shifts to sunshine and warmth, a bowl of chowder evokes the sea and beach and memories of slurping piping-hot cups of clam chowder, filled to the rim with a milky broth speckled with tender littlenecks bobbing between oyster crackers and slicks of swirling, melted butter.

My roots are in the East Coast, so a New England-style clam chowder holds a special place in my food lexicon. Which is to say that wherever I’ve lived since then (and quite far from New England), when the craving strikes, I will rally and make a chowder. This at times requires a good amount of improvisation, depending on geography and available ingredients.

Over time, I’ve devised this simple recipe, to which I return when I need an easy fix. You might call it a hack -- an inauthentic yet convenient recipe -- that delivers the briny salt and smoke of a chowder while leaning toward the lighter side for guilt-free slurping. For purists, this is not a traditional chowder, but flavor-wise, it hits the spot.

The base of my chowder always consists of onions and potatoes with a little all-purpose flour for thickening. To that, I might add leeks and root vegetables, such as celery root or turnips, depending on the status of my vegetable bin. Salt pork (or bacon) is a common ingredient in a chowder, lending the necessary salty, smoky depth of flavor to the broth. I often skip the pork component and substitute chunks of warm-smoked salmon (not cold-smoked) for that extra flavor. Of course, warm-smoked salmon is not a refrigerator staple, and as a simpler alternative, I’ll add a generous spoonful of smoked paprika and up the salt. Finally, I add chicken stock to the base of the stew/chowder for more depth of flavor, then finish with a cup of milk or half-and-half for a lightly creamy broth.

So, whether you call this a chowder hack or a faux chowder, it’s a recipe worth keeping for a quick weeknight improvisation. Note that the clams are cooked in their shells in this recipe. While they cook, the clam shells will open and release their juices into the broth. Choose small clams, such as littlenecks or Manila clams, or even substitute small mussels. And in the spirit of ultimate flexibility, you can switch the shellfish out entirely and add chunks of firm-fleshed fish, such as salmon or halibut, and call it a fish chowder.

Clam Chowder

Active time: 35 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 to 2 leeks, white and pale green parts chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken stock (and/or water)

10 to 12 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, cut in bite-size chunks

1 large turnip, diced

2 thyme sprigs

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

16 littleneck clams

1 to 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or half-and-half)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leeks and saute until soft without coloring, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and stir until slightly toasty in aroma, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour in 2 cups chicken stock and whisk to blend. Add the potatoes, turnip, thyme and smoked paprika. Add additional chicken stock (or water) to completely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the clams to the pot. Cover the pot and cook until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. (Discard any unopened clams.) Stir in the milk, salt, black pepper and hot sauce and continue to cook until just heated through. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

Pasta carbonara is the Roman’s answer to comfort food. It’s composed of a humble trio of ingredients -- eggs, cheese and noodles -- which, with the elemental magic of heat and water, alchemize to create a glistening bowl of pasta that’s as restorative as it is comforting. Crispy pancetta is a traditional ingredient in a carbonara, and its rendered fat adds salt and flavor to the dish. While less traditional, sweet peas add brightness and balance the pork in this recipe.

This carbonara comes together quickly, so it’s important that your ingredients are prepped before you begin cooking. The most important element is the egg and cheese mixture, which coats the hot noodles and creates the slick sauce that binds the dish. Add the whisked eggs and cheese to the hot noodles away from direct heat, stirring constantly to thoroughly coat the noodles. The heat from the pasta will help to cook the eggs, and the stirring will prevent them from scrambling. It may sound complicated, but once you give it a go, you will see how easy and foolproof this method is.

Try to use bucatini for the pasta, which resembles thick spaghetti with a hole running through the center, which allows the sauce to permeate the pasta and give it more flavor.

Pasta Carbonara With Sweet Peas

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 pound bucatini

6 ounces thick-cut bacon or guanciale, diced

1 cup thawed frozen sweet peas

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced or pushed through a press

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Whisk the eggs and cheese in a bowl to combine; set aside.

Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat is rendered, stirring to separate the pieces, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Add the peas, garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and cook briefly, stirring to coat the noodles.

Remove the pan from the heat. Quickly add the eggs and cheese, stirring constantly to coat the pasta and to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to loosen the pasta to your desired consistency. Return the bacon to the pan and stir once more.

Serve immediately with extra cheese for sprinkling.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

There is something intrinsically gratifying about a hearty grain salad. Fresh and chewy, brimming with greens and chopped vegetables, it’s nutritious, versatile and satisfying. This bulgur salad is tumbled with lemon, spices and fresh herbs, along with chopped peppers and grated carrot for juicy sweetness and crunch. It’s spread over a bed of greens and topped with shrimp for a light and healthy complete meal.

There are myriad iterations of a grain salad. For instance, quinoa or couscous can be substituted for the bulgur. The shrimp may be omitted or switched out for crumbled feta for a vegetarian option. The salad can be arranged on a platter or stuffed into pita pockets. The consistent key is to generously season the grains. Don’t be shy with citrus, spices, garlic and, of course, salt to drive flavor into the dish. Add a combination of crunchy chopped vegetables and greens for texture, nutrients and additional flavor.

Don't be intimidated by the lengthy list of ingredients in this recipe. They are essential to building the flavor of the salad, and it’s likely you have many of the components on hand. For do-ahead prep and quick assembly, the bulgur salad can be made in advance and refrigerated until use, and the shrimp can be served either warm or chilled.

Shrimp and Bulgur Salad

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Bulgur:

1 cup bulgur

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 large carrot, finely grated

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, finely diced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish

Shrimp:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound medium (18/20) shrimp, shelled and deveined

Kosher salt

3 ounces baby greens or arugula

Extra-virgin olive oil

Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Combine the bulgur and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let steam until the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Fluff the bulgur with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice, oil, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper. Add the scallions, carrot, red pepper, jalapeno, parsley and cilantro and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning.

Heat the olive oil and the red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp in one layer and cook until pink in color and just cooked through the centers, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and season with salt.

Arrange a layer of fresh greens in a serving bowl. Spread the bulgur over the greens. Top with the shrimp. Drizzle with olive oil and the lemon juice. Garnish with the lemon zest, additional parsley and/or cilantro. If desired, garnish with crumbled feta, as well.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood