SteveB wrote:
> I went to a restaurant yesterday, and they had great clam chowder. Then my
> wife made some corn chowder today, and it was altogether different. The
> thick almost gravy broth had a flour taste. The restaurant chowder had the
> same consistency, but a much more flavorful broth.
>
> What is a good combination for thickening soup broths? Cornstarch? Wondra?


The folks who say that a floury taste means that the roux wasn't cooked
enough are correct, but in the 2 soups you mention, clam chowder and
corn chowder, I see no reason for a roux. They have potatoes as an
ingredient. Potatoes have starch. Just follow the recipe, toss some of
the cooked potato into the blender, and use that to thicken to soup. If
you don't want to dirty the blender, you can close to the same effect by
just mashing some of the potato particularly well.


As for a flavorful broth, there's a reason the French call soup stocks
the foundation of good cooking. I don't know what the restaurant used
for a soup stock, but from your description, it sounds like they used a
good one, maybe a from scratch long simmered chicken stock, maybe a
demiglace. For that matter, the stock and cream can add to the
mouthfeel and thickness of the soup.


--Lia