Clam And Bacon Soup Food

MOM'S FAMOUS CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Chop or dice all of your vegetables and set aside.
• Drain clams, save the liquid.
• (I usually throw in the extra clam juice for the added flavor, you will get about 1/2 cup of juice from the can of clams).
• (I start the bacon and the vegetables all in the pan that I will finish the soup in- then you get the flavor from the bacon crustys on the bottom).
• Fry bacon bits and set aside.
• Drain off all bacon fat but enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
• Saute potato, onion, celery and carrot in bacon drippings for 5 minutes.
• Add the clam juice, salt and pepper, thyme and chopped parsley.
• Cook for 20 minutes or until the veggys are all fork tender.
• Add the 1/2 and 1/2.
• Add the Bacon.
• (This is where I divide the soup if you want a pot of potato soup as well).
• Add the clams.
• Thicken to desired consistency with cornstarch and water.

BACON CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the first six ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10-12 minutes or until potato is tender., Meanwhile, drain clams, reserving juice. Place clams in a small food processor; process until finely chopped., In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cream until smooth; stir into pan. Add reserved clam juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until soup is thickened. Stir in butter, cayenne and clams; heat through. Top servings with bacon.

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat add the bacon and cook until slightly crisp and no longer pink. Remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until tender. Add the flour and stir.
• Add in the juice from the clams, chicken broth, milk, and half and half, then stir until there aren't any clumps. Add in the potatoes.
• Bring the pot to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer until the potatoes are tender and the soup is thick. Stir in the clams and salt and pepper to taste. Top with crumbled bacon and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S BAY SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until fat renders and bacon is slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion to bacon; cook and stir until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir celery and garlic into onion mixture, cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Pour clam juice, chicken broth, potato, cayenne pepper, and black pepper into bacon mixture; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir cream and chile pepper into potato mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are completely tender and chowder flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Season with lemon zest and salt.
• Stir scallops into chowder and cook over medium heat until scallops are tender and white, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tarragon.

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Rinse the clams in several changes of cold water and drain well. Tip the clams into a large pan with 500ml of water. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins until the clams have just opened. Tip the contents of the pan into a colander over a bowl to catch the clam stock. When cool enough to handle, remove the clams from their shells - reserving a handful of empty shells for presentation if you want. Strain the clam stock into a jug, leaving any grit in the bottom of the bowl. You should have around 800ml stock.
• Heat the butter in the same pan and sizzle the bacon for 3-4 mins until it starts to brown. Stir in the onion, thyme and bay and cook everything gently for 10 mins until the onion is soft and golden. Scatter over the flour and stir in to make a sandy paste, cook for 2 mins more, then gradually stir in the clam stock then the milk and the cream.
• Throw in the potatoes, bring everything to a simmer and leave to bubble away gently for 10 mins or until the potatoes are cooked. Use a fork to crush a few of the potato chunks against the side of the pan to help thicken - you still want lots of defined chunks though. Stir through the clam meat and the few clam shells, if you've gone down that route, and simmer for a minute to reheat. Season with plenty of black pepper and a little salt, if needed, then stir through the parsley just before ladling into bowls or hollowed-out crusty rolls.

COMFORT SOUP (CHICKPEA AND BACON)

Steps:

• Saute onion, garlic and bacon together until the onion is soft and translucent. Don't be tempted to drain the bacon fat (I use a rather lean bacon, anyway, and there's not that much fat - if you have tons of it, then remove some). Add the chickpeas, carrots, tomato paste, bay leaf and 1 1/2 quarts water. Season to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered for 1/2 an hour. Add the pearl barley and simmer for another 40-60 minutes, or until the chickpeas and barley are cooked through and the soup is quite thick (if the soup is too thick, thin with a little hot water until you achieve the consistency you desire).
• This was a really satisfying meal with a tossed green salad and garlic bread.