Paganocity

Or Veggie Chowdah.  Or maybe it's just a veggie mash (depending on how you make it).

So I recently was on a whirlwind tour of the North East, specifically Maine.  As such I was exposed to a wide variety of tasty Chowders.  Unfortunately, I am not quite ready for most seafood chowder, as I am still building my comfort with fish.  I did have a lovely lobster stew.  But I haven't got a recipe worked out for it yet.  But as soon as I got home I whipped this up, and was pleased with it.

One of the important traits for chowder is apparently thickness, so as such I cheat, and create a chowder that cannot help but be as thick as you like.

Take a pot, and put potatoes, carrots, and celery into, prefferably heavy on potatoes.  Cover the veggies with water, and boil for half an hour or so.  (I put a little garlic in the water as well).

In a frying pan, make a fast blonde roux (I don't know if this is a North Eastern cooking technique at all, but I like roux).  Heat oil or butter in the frying pan at medium heat, and add an equal portion of flour to it. (So one cup flour to one cup of oil)  Cook it for half an hour to an hour.  Make sure it is blended thoroughly, and stirr it to keep it from burning.  (This keeps you nicely occupied as the veggies boil.)

When the veggies have boiled long enough and are tender, drain off the water.  Use an electric mixer to blend in the roux with the veggies.  This should start making thick mashed veggies.  Add milk and seasonings to taste.  Milk will make it thinner and smoother.  I used pepper, salt, thyme, rosemary, parsely.