# Puppy Drum Chowder



## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

There are fewer and fewer places where you can camp, let alone have an open fire on the beach. A real shame, because seafood stews such as this one really take the chill off after battling big fish in a heavy fall surf

2 lbs drum filets, cut into six equal portions
4 slices thick cut bacon cut into 2" pieces
1 ½ cups chopped leeks or chopped sweet onions
3 bottles (8-oz) clam broth
½ cup water
1 pound fingerling potatoes cut in thick slices
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or a heavy pinch dried)
1 tsp turmeric
½ cup heavy cream

Salt & pepper to taste
Smoked paprika (optional)

In a large pot cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Add leeks or onions to the bacon fat and cook until very tender, stirring often. Add the clam broth, water, potatoes, thyme and turmeric. Simmer, covered, until potatoes are just tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and reserved bacon. Season with salt & pepper
Season the drum with salt and pepper and place the filets on top of the chowder. Cover and cook until opaque in the center, about ten minutes per inch of thickness. 
Transfer filets to bowls and ladle the chowder over them. Sprinkle each serving with paprika if desired.

For more camp & fish tips, techniques, and recipes, visit our friends at The Outdoor Sports Advisor


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

Great recipe KY.. and great imagery with the fall surf. You can camp on spoil islands in a place I grew up (and still live) near called Mosquito Lagoon. There are plenty of black and red drum, but there would be no bringing bottles of clam broth! You can dig them up.. srcub them, then steam them and pour the liquor through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Presto clam broth! But what to do with that clam meat? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

The clam broth is a down & dirty way of making fish stock, Eastshores. If you're going to make your own, may as well use the bones and head from the drum.

As to what to do with the clams, why, eat them of course. Everything is better fresh from where it lives. And if the fishing is slow there's always clam chowder to serve the same purpose.

While not quite the same thing, I recollect duck hunting once off Okracoke Island. Somehow or other we'd forgotten the lunches. But the blind was build on an oyster bar. So we pried them loose, shucked them with out hunting knives, and dined on oysters alfresco. Sweet and good as home made sin!


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