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Do you remember the old Bratten's Seafood Grotto in downtown Salt Lake City? The restaurant opened in the early 1950's and was hugely popular for years. I believe there were several others that opened as time progressed. I remember as a kid, going there for the first time when I was 7 or 8,tastingthe joy ofcrab legs for the first time, withthe glorious warm butter dipping down my chin and feeling silly while adorningthe traditional paper bib. This popular iconic Salt Lake restaurant even had it's own postcard. Look at the old cars. I would love to have one of those today.
Buried inside my recipe filesare two old tattered and spilled on cardsfor their most popular soups, Clam Chowder and Shrimp Chowder. The recipes are my grandmother's and I find it a joy every time I break them out tomake this yummy comfort food.
My Grandparents were friendly with the owners of Bratten's. If memory recallscorrectly, they played cardstogether in a Bridge Club. The story goes that these are the original recipes scaled down from recipes that were measured out in quantities of “gallons” and “handfuls”. These chowders are a family favorite of ours and, it happens, that Clams are an extremely good price at Smith's right now. I just whipped myself up a batch for dinner and I thought I would share my families versions of these easyto preparerecipes.
Over the years, I've toyed with the Shrimp Chowder, adding in bay, basil and other spices and swapping out 1/2 off the butter for olive oil. But, the Clam Chowder holds it's own with no tampering and actually tastes amazing on the 2nd and 3rd days. It's the perfect creamy bowl of goodness. If only it could be guilt free.
Bratten's Clam Chowder Recipe:
2 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup flour
1 quart Half & Half
3 cans minced canned clams (with juice)
Cover vegetables with water and simmer until soft (15 to20minutes). Meanwhile, combine butter and flour in soup pot and cook on low until smooth, browned and the flour taste has gone. Add the Half & Half, sugar, salt pepper and clams (including the liquid). Add your softened vegetables ALONG WITHthe cooking water and simmer. We like to serve in a bread bowl topped with crumbled bacon.
**Notes: For me this recipe is better the 2nd day and the leftovers can get really thick. I just add milkto bring it back to life.
Bratten's Shrimp Chowder Grandmas Original Recipe:
1cup celery
1/2 cup onion
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp salt to taste
1tsp. pepper
1-2 tbs. hot sauce
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 large can tomato sauce
1 28. oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups fish stock (bottled clam juice)
2 1/2cup uncooked shrimp cut into small pieces
Cook celery and onion until tender in the butter. Add in flour and cook until thick and browned (until the flour taste is gone). Add remaining ingredients except the shrimp and simmer for a but 15 to 20 minutes. Add the shrimp and at the end cook for another couple of minutes. Serve with crusty bread.
Enjoy
Posted by Joani
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March 18, 2021 at 8:48 am
Jeff Guevara saysThanks for the recipe Joani. I look forward to making this. A nice taste of old Utah. I really like recipes that recreate items I like at restaurants.
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April 12, 2017 at 9:04 pmJustin searle saysI love when I come across things like this! I grew up eating that clam chowder, all though I never had it in the restaurant, I wasn’t alive during that time. My mom had a hand written recipe from Chef Ralph Searle, my Grandfather.
I don’t remember him much, he passed when I was 6. The memories I do have are ones I cherish, as all my life I would occasionally meet people who knew him, and after a few moments in their company they would tell me I was just like my Granddad.
I have a copy of the original recipe, I’ll post it soon. Grandpa had a habit (intentional) of altering recipes when he gave them out (which was rare). So I’d love to share it with people who have happy memories of it.
I’ve used his cheesecake recipe in my old restaurant (I followed his footsteps and became a Chef :)), wish I could have taken a picture of the pastry chefs face when I gave him the recipe, he looked it over and threw a fit, saying it wouldn’t work, it would break and be a mess. He made it with me, he made 1 and I made 1, I told him to trust me cause I grew up on it, but he still argued it wouldn’t work. I hadn’t had this cheesecake in 15 years at this point.
When it was being taken from the oven it was as delicate as I remembered, my pastry chef told me “Chef, it’s gonna break and be a mess, don’t say I didn’t tell you”. I have my grandfather’s quick wit and tongue, he kept his comments to himself after that.
When I served him a slice after it was cool, his eyes…. They rolled back and he dug in for another forkful,then another, and another, he devoted it in 4 bites, then asked me for another.
I told him the rest broke and was a mess in the back, so he would have to make another one, I laughed and made him serve the rest of the 2 beautiful cheesecakes that came out perfect to the restaurant crew, and they fell in love with my grandpa.See AlsoSaltine Toffee RecipeIt was beautiful reading this, brought back some happy memories. And I have a metal sailboat hanging in my room, one of the original wall pieces from the grotto.
Thank you all.
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November 9, 2014 at 7:05 pmapril saysI loved, loved, loved Brattan’s! I also have this same tattered recipe from my mom’s recipe file that she cut out of the paper a million years ago… oh, the memories!
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November 9, 2014 at 8:18 pmCoupons4Utah saysGlad you enjoyed it April. I think part of the reason the Chowder is so good is because of the memories.
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November 9, 2014 at 3:54 pmJenny saysThis is the exact same clam chowder recipe I grew up with, though my mom was from Hawaii & we lived in California. I’ll have to ask her where she got it. I LOVE clam chowder, but this one has never been my favorite for some reason. I’ll have to try the shrimp one, though.
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November 9, 2014 at 8:20 pmCoupons4Utah saysIt’s just the opposite for me. I’ve tweeked the Shrimp recipe a few times but never quite gotten it right. If you post it, come back and let me know. I’d love to share.
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