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New England Clam Chowder

Source of Recipe


From "The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook"



List of Ingredients



• 1 cup water
  
• 2 pounds medium hard-shell clams, such as cherrystones, scrubbed
  
• 2 slices bacon, chopped fine
  
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
  
• 1 celery rib, minced
  
• 1/4 tsp minced fresh thyme
  
• 2-1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
  
• 1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
  
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
  
• Salt and pepper
  






Instructions



1. Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add clams, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir clams thoroughly, cover, and continue to cook until they just begin to open, 2 to 5 minutes. As clams open, transfer them to a bowl and let cool slightly. Discard any unopened clams.
   
   
2. Measure out and reserve 1 cup of clam steaming liquid, avoiding any gritty sediment that has settled on bottom of saucepan. Using paring knife, remove clam meat from shells and chop coarse.
   
   
3. In clean saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour; cook for 1 minute.
   
   
4. Slowly whisk in broth and reserved clam steaming liquid, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in potatoes, bring to simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
   
   
5. Off heat, stir in chopped clams and cream and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
   
   Serves 2
   
   
   Variation:
   Pantry Clam Chowder
   
   Omit water and fresh clams and skip steps 1 and 2. Substitute one 8-ounce bottle clam juice for clam steaming liquid and two 6.5 ounce cans minced clams, drained, for chopped clams.