Email to Cat      

Clam Chowder

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food" by Rick Rodgers


Recipe Introduction

"Chock-full of briny clams and tender chunks of potato, this creamy New England chowder seems custom-made to take the chill off a cold afternoon. Serve alongside a large green salad to balance out the richness of the soup."

List of Ingredients

◦  4 dozen littleneck clams (about 4 pounds)
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
◦  2 large red-skinned potatoes
◦  4 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
◦  1 yellow onion, chopped
◦  2 small stalks celery, finely chopped
◦  3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
◦  2 cups half-and-half
◦  ½ tsp minced fresh thyme
◦  Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish


Recipe

Scrub the clams under cold running water. Place in a large bowl, add salted cold water to cover, and let stand for 1 hour (this removes any sand or grit, which could spoil the soup).

Drain the clams and rinse well. Place the clams in a saucepan and add 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the clams have opened, about 4 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.

Transfer the clams to a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid in the pan. Remove the clam meat from the shells, setting the meat aside and discarding the shells. Line a fine-mesh sieve with dampened cheesecloth, place it over a 4-cup glass measuring cup, and strain the cooking liquid from the pan and the large bowl through the cheesecloth. Add cold water as needed to the measuring cup to total 4 cups liquid.

Meanwhile, dice the unpeeled potatoes and place in a large saucepan. Add salted water to cover by 1 inch, cover the pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, fry the bacon over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the onion and celery to the fat in the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Stir in the reserved potatoes and clam liquid, the half-and-half, and the thyme. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until lightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved clam meat and bacon, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into warmed bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.


Makes 6 to 8 servings


â—¦ Change It Up:
To make fish chowder, omit the clams. Replace the clam liquid and water with 4 cups fish stock. Add 1 pound skinned fish fillets, such as cod or haddock, cut into 1-inch pieces, to the soup along with the cooked potatoes. Simmer until barely opaque, about 5 minutes. Continue the recipe as directed.