Goosed-off chowder

We’ve just had a brush from the wing of a dark, roiling angel named Gustav; and as I am writing this, Hurricane Ike is passing just south of us, spitting rain and rattling our tinfoil roof. Predictably, this has me thinking about food. More particularly, I am thinking about food that can be prepared from ingredients needing no refrigeration since, both during and sometimes for weeks after such a storm (Remember Katrina?), refrigeration can be hard to come by. This recipe would also work well on a vehicle-based camping trip (alas, a bit much to backpack) or on your next yachting cruise, if a yacht is your vehicle of choice, assuming in any case that you have a gas cooktop and fuel. You will want, if they haven’t rotted in the in the humid and bug-laden heat,

1          potato, cut into a ½-inch dice and

1          carrot, coarsely chopped, these sautéed in

            olive oil.

When the potatoes are nicely browned, add

1          onion, coarsely chopped, and saute until translucent.

Next add

garlic, 3 or 4 cloves, minced, to taste,

and (if they haven’t already rotted in your refrigerator) some

            celery and/or

parsley, both chopped.

Finally, add a teaspoon or so of

            dried thyme,

a bay leaf or two, and

            black pepper to taste.

Let this cook down for five minutes or so, and then add

1 can    diced tomatoes with chilies,

1 can    yellow hominy or creamed corn,

1 can    peas,

1 can    salmon, probably Alaskan and pink,

1 can    evaporated milk, and

1 can    minced clams.

Dilute this with water to the desired consistency, let it heat through (though not to boiling: you don’t want to curdle the milk), correct the seasoning, perhaps adding a dash or six of Tabasco, and serve it, with crackers, to four hungry people.

(By the way, if there is any fresh basil or cilantro left among the tattered remnants of your garden, chop it up and sprinkle some on top of each serving.)