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East Hampton Clam Chowder

Source of Recipe

From "Barefoot Contessa Family Style" by Ina Garten


Recipe Introduction

"This soup is a variation on a recipe from the original Loaves and Fishes Cookbook written by friends Devon Fredericks and Susan Costner. Instead of the usual bland cream and clams, this one is like a clam stew with lots of vegetables and just a bit of milk to finish. You can make it a day in advance and reheat it slowly before dinner."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, divided
â—¦ 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
â—¦ 2 cups medium-diced celery (4 stalks)
â—¦ 2 cups medium-diced carrots (6 carrots)
â—¦ 4 cups peeled medium-diced boiling potatoes (8 potatoes)
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (½ teaspoon dried)
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 quart (4 cups) clam juice
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 cups milk
â—¦ 3 cups chopped fresh chowder clams (1 ½ pounds shucked clams)


Recipe

Melt 4 tablespoons (½ stick) of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 more minutes. Add the clam juice, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.

Add the milk and clams and heat gently for a few minutes to cook the clams. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8