Week #20: Massachusetts - New England Wicked Chowdah Pizza

State:  Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to the shot heard around the world, Paul Revere, the Boston Marathon, Sam Adams Beer, and of course, New England Chowder.  I originally thought of doing a Chowdah pizza when I first started this challenge, so I had to follow through on this state.  I researched how to make a traditional clam chowder specifically to Massachusetts.  I am a very patriotic person and Boston has always been a place that I have wanted to visit.  I look forward to visiting this state and soaking in all it has to offer. I hope I did you justice on this Wicked Chowdah!

Ingredients Needed:

Soup:

1 8 oz bottle of clam juice

1/4 lb (3) Yukon potatoes

1 tbsp of butter

1/3 cup of chopped onion

1/3 chopped celery with leaves

1 bay leaf - chopped

1/3 cup of rice or tapioca flour

1 can of chopped clams, drained and juice reserved for later

1/4 cup half and half

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper or hot sauce

1 Pizza crust - Pre-made or from scratch

1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chowdah:

In a medium sauce pot, bring the clam juice and potatoes to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.  Remove from heat.

Next, melt the butter in a large pot and add the celery, onion, and bay leaf.  Cook until onions are translucent and then add the flour. Stir mixture around for 2 minutes or so and slowly add in the reserved clam juice.  Add potatoes and juice mixture, clams, half & half, and hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper. Cook chowder on simmer until all ingredients mix, stirring frequently.  Season chowder with salt and pepper to taste.

Meat:

Please see chowder section on how to cook clams.  For the bacon, add 1 tsp to a medium pan and cook the bacon on medium heat until brown on both sides.  Remove from heat and place bacon on a plate with a paper towel to drain excess grease.

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 400.  Cook crust for 5-8 minutes or until brown depending on the type of crust.  Take out of oven and with a ladle, start to add chowder on to the pizza crust.  Make sure that all of the ingredients in the chowder are spread out along the pizza crust.  Add a light layer of mozzarella cheese and bacon on top of the pizza.  Do not add too much of either, as you want to ensure the clam taste is still the highlight of the pizza.  Cook for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted and remove for oven.  Allow pizza to cool before eating.

Pairing: 

When pairing a beer with this pizza, I had to go with a classic beer company in Sam Adam's brewery.  I paired the seafood pizza with the Rebel IPA from Sam Adams.  The hops paired very well with the seafood.  There are other great breweries in Massachusetts, like Harpoon, Clown Shoes, Night Shift, and Slumbrew.  I have only tried Harpoon, but I am not too familiar with the other ones.  For a wine pairing, my wife suggests a white wine such as a Torrontes.

Learning Moments:

This is the first time I ever made a clam chowder and it turned out very good.  I am pushing the boundaries on making pizzas.  I really enjoy cooking and making pizzas with ingredients you normally would not think of using.  I feel like every pizza I am growing and learning how to make new dishes, challenging myself to learn more.  I love it and the pizza turned out excellent.  I hope you enjoy it!!