I have some serious anger issues this week, every time I sit down to write it just turns into some pissed off rant about how I am sick of hearing about the health problems of people who do nothing to be healthy.  Yep, that’s right, everyone from back home has serious health problems and when they wash down fast food dinner with a few vodka-redbulls I lose all sympathy.  See, there I go again.  I think I need to just stop talking to people, people make my angry.  I wish I could say that my dogs make me happy today…but it has been non-stop Wrestlemania in my house lately as well.  The champion, weighing in at 100lbs, Captain Kirk; The contender, 30lbs of fury, Sonya Blaze.  Fight!

You know what makes me feel better after a long day of being pissed off at the world? Well…chocolate mostly, but a nice hearty bowl of soup helps too.  New England and Manhattan have their clam chowders…now we have ours.  A spicy, smokey chowder that is full of fall veggies and friggin awesomeness.

You will need:

• A can of coconut milk
• 2 cups bone broth
• One tablespoon hickory liquid smoke
• 1lb of shrimp
• about 2 dozen clams
• ¼ cup of butter or coconut oil
• One bunch kale
• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• ¼ cup BBQ rub
• 3 cloves garlic
• And a big ass mirepoix( celery, carrots, and onion)

Please don’t ask me to measure that stuff, it was about one bunch celery, 5 carrots, and an onion….it doesn’t have to be perfect…just wing it and chop everything up real well.  I am a “kitchen sink” cook, so I throw in everything I have (except the kitchen sink).  Have turnips lying around, some fresh scallops,chard instead of kale? Great use those.

Ok, no dual-zone fire today, just fire up the whole grill and get it nice and hot.  We are grilling with our dutch oven, so I wrapped the bottom in tin foil to help prevent those lovely soot stains.  Throw all of your veggies in with your fat and let them sauté over direct heat in any covered grill friendly pan (or on the stove if you want to cut corners…I won’t judge). Add a little bit of your broth for moisture as needed.

Throw your clams on the other side of the grill in a small pan with a little water and heat them until they just pop open.  They don’t need to be cooked through 100% because they will finish in the soup.  If you have never cooked clams before, remember to throw out the ones that are open before you cook them and ones that do not open from cooking, it means they might have died.  If you don’t do this you will make me very angry…and you wouldn’t like me when I am angry…

Hulk Smash!

Ok…just kidding.  Anyways, once your clams are done, add your liquids into the pot along with your BBQ rub.  I used a blend of Dizzy Pig Swamp Venom  (very spicy) and Old Bay.  Cover your pot and let everything simmer while you go inside and prep your meat.

Get the clams out of their shells, and get the skin and tails off of your shrimp.  This sounds easy, but it takes time to peel shrimp…this will give your soup time to simmer.  This helps break down some of the starch in the sweet taters and it thickens your soup without having to add any mystery thickening powders.  Add your seafood back into the pot and let it simmer for another 20 minutes or until all the veggies appear cooked and the shrimp turn opaque.  Adjust your seasoning to taste before serving and enjoy!

Holy crap that was delicious.