Email to Cat      

Fresh Clam Chowder

Source of Recipe

From "Old-School Comfort Food" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"I like watching this recipe build, in layers, on top of the stove. It begins innocently with some clams and becomes a naturally sweet and vegetal soup that satisfies as a main course�especially with a few pieces of toasted bread on the side for dipping. The Aleppo pepper is a critical component because it is smoky but also has a heat that grows without overpowering. Though this is a cream soup, don't be afraid to add a squeeze of lemon or a small splash of red wine vinegar at the end. The acidity can really brighten the flavors and, if stirred in quickly, won't hurt the texture of the cream. Also, when tasting this chowder, don't be afraid to season with a pinch of sugar to highlight the natural sweetness."

List of Ingredients

◦ 5 pounds littleneck clams, well scrubbed with a brush under cold water
◦ 4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into �-inch pieces
◦ 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or other smoky dried pepper
◦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
◦ 2 celery stalks, sliced into �-inch pieces
◦ Kosher salt
◦ 2 small, thin leeks (white and light green part only), diced and well washed
◦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
◦ 1 cup dry vermouth
◦ 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (1 pound total), cut into �-inch cubes
◦ 2 cups heavy cream, plus more if needed
◦ 2 bay leaves
◦ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
◦ Worcestershire sauce
◦ Tabasco sauce
◦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
◦ 2 tablespoons dry Marsala
◦ Baked Bread for Clam Chowder Dipping (optional; recipe follows)


Recipe

Put a large saut� pan on the stove and add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the clams. Stir the clams gently as they cook because the shells are fragile and break easily. Cook until they all open, 5 to 8 minutes. Put the clams in a colander and reserve the cooking liquid. Shell the clams, discarding the shells, and reserve the clams and cooking liquid separately.

Wipe out the saut� pan and cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel and dust with the Aleppo pepper.

Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pan and quickly saut� the celery over medium heat for 1 minute. Season with salt. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the leeks and garlic to the pan and season with salt. Cook until they become tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vermouth and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, 2 cups cream, the bay leaves, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt. Add a splash each of Worcestershire and Tabasco. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning.

There is a good chance there will be grit in the clam cooking liquid, so strain it and avoid the sediment at the bottom when adding it to the leek mixture. Stir in the celery. Taste for seasoning, adding more Worcestershire and Tabasco as needed. Pour the leek mixture into the potato mixture. Add the clams and tarragon. Discard the bay leaves. Add the Marsala and taste for seasoning. Add more cream and/or water, if needed, to thin. Top with the bacon just before serving, with baked bread, if desired.

Serves 6 to 8







❧ Baked Bread for Clam Chowder Dipping:

I wouldn't personally risk adding fresh dill to the soup but some dill seeds on the toasts to go with it? It's a nice flavor with the clams and Vermouth in the chowder. Of course, toasts on the side of soup are about the crispy texture enhancing the soup experience but they are even better when they have a little personality of their own, too.

◦ 8 (�- to 1-inch-thick) slices from a round or oval loaf sourdough bread
◦ 4 tablespoons (� stick) unsalted butter
◦ 3 medium cloves garlic, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
◦ Kosher salt
◦ 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
◦ 1 teaspoon dill seeds or fennel sides

Preheat the oven to 350� F. Arrange the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

In a small skillet, melt the butter over low heat, add the garlic, and season with salt. Heat gently for 1 minute and then use a pastry brush to coat the bread slices with the garlic butter. Pour any remaining butter into the bottom of the baking sheet and dust the bread with the Aleppo pepper and dill seeds.

Bake until the slices are crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool for a minute before serving alongside the soup.

Makes 8 pieces