Shrimp chowder is a thick soup made with shrimp, potatoes, onions, milk, and cream. Chowders are characterized by a thick broth, potatoes, and vegetables. Different regions have variations, such as clear broth or tomato-based broth. Other ingredients include corn, bacon, and celery. Shrimp can be substituted for clams in Manhattan chowder. Southern Illinois chowder is made with chicken, beef, potatoes, cabbage, and beans. Shrimp should be peeled and drained before adding to the soup. Some diners prefer to have it as a meal in itself.
Shrimp chowder is a rich, thick soup usually made with shrimp, potatoes, and onions in a thickened broth of milk and cream. It is part of a group of soups generically called chowder and generally characterized by a thick broth, potatoes and other vegetables. In the New England United States, these soups predominantly feature a rich milk- or cream-based broth, usually flavored with a variety of shellfish. In some locations, notably Rhode Island and North Carolina, chowder is made with a clear broth; in others, the tomatoes form the base of the broth. A popular variation of New England chowder, called Manhattan chowder, features a tomato-based broth, with tomato chunks replacing the potatoes.
Chowders often incorporate a number of additional ingredients. In addition to potatoes and onions, many soups use corn, crumbled bacon, and diced celery, and flour is often used as a thickening agent. Butter is often found in soups, although in some recipes, the fat produced by cooking the bacon is used to fry other ingredients. The further south you travel along the East Coast of the United States, the more likely you are to find soups that incorporate larger amounts of black or white pepper. The so-called Menorcan soups found in northeastern Florida are very spicy due to the inclusion of Menorcan peppers in the ingredients.
Shrimp can be made the main ingredient in most soups found in American cuisine. Manhattan clam chowder, for example, usually features clams and onions in a tomato-based broth. Substituting the shrimp for clams turns the soup into Manhattan shrimp chowder. Rhode Island clear bouillon soups easily accommodate the use of shrimp as a main ingredient, as do other soups served along the east coast of America.
A variety of chowder found in American cooking, called Southern Illinois chowder, is inappropriate for shrimp. A hearty soup that’s often made in huge kettles many gallons at a time, it typically takes four or more hours to cook. Chicken, beef, potatoes, cabbage and beans are the main ingredients of Southern Illinois soup.
Peeling and draining shrimp is an absolute must when making shrimp chowder. Some recipes call for adding them whole to crayfish chowder, while others recommend cutting them into bite-sized pieces that resemble the chopped clams found in clam chowders. Either way, shrimp should only be added to clam chowder for a few moments before serving because they cook very quickly and become tough and chewy when overcooked.
Many diners prefer just a cup of crayfish chowder before a full dinner. Some restaurants serve it in a bowl made with sourdough or other very crusty bread. Especially when served this way, a bowl of crayfish chowder is often eaten as a meal in itself.
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