Classic New England Clam Chowder Food

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Rinse the clams several times under cold running water. Transfer to a large pot and add 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and cook until the clams open, about 6 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; reserve the broth. Transfer the clams to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so they don't dry out.
• Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in the reserved clam broth, 1 1/2 cups water and the potato. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender and the soup thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop.
• Reduce the heat under the soup to medium low. Whisk in the half-and-half and warm through (do not boil). Remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped clams; season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the reserved bacon and chives.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, mixing often. Stir in the flour to distribute evenly. Add the stock, juice from 2 cans of chopped clams (reserve clams), cream, bay leaves, and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring consistently (the mixture will thicken), then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are nice and tender. Then add clams and season to taste with salt and pepper, cook until clams are just firm, another 2 minutes.;
• Melt the butter in a large skillet and toss the bread cubes in the butter until browned and toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper.;

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat 1 litre of water in a large pan over a high heat. Once boiling, tip in the clams. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 mins until the majority of the clam shells have opened. Pour into a sieve over a large jug, reserving the cooking water. Tip the reserved liquid through a muslin-lined sieve into a large non stick saucepan and set aside - this is your stock for the soup.
• Discard any clams which haven't opened, then remove three-quarters of the clams from their shells and roughly chop.
• Put the bay leaf in the pan with the clam stock and tip in the potato and parsnip cubes. Cook for 5-7 mins until tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove half of the potato and parsnip and set aside. Fish out the bay leaf, spoon off any scum from the surface of the soup, then blitz the remaining stock and vegetables in a food processor until smooth, or using a stick blender.
• Using the same saucepan over a medium heat, pour in the oil, add the bacon lardons, fry until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the pan, cook for 5 mins until soft, then pour in the blitzed chowder, potato and parsnip. Heat until simmering, then tip in the chopped clams, take off the heat and stir through the crème fraîche, adding lemon juice to taste. Serve, topped with the crispy bacon, reserved clams in their shells and a scattering of chives and black pepper.

CONTEST-WINNING NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes., In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes., Stir in clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil). Crumble the cooked bacon; sprinkle over each serving.

TRADITIONAL NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Tap clams; discard any that do not close. Place clams and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until clams open. , Remove meat from clams; chop meat and set aside. Strain liquid through a cheesecloth-lined colander; set aside., In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels. Saute onion in drippings until tender., Return bacon to the pan; add clam meat and reserved liquid. Stir in the potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender., Combine flour and milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Gradually stir in cream; heat through (do not boil).

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 Tbsp. dripping from pan.
• Add yellow onions, celery and thyme to reserved bacon drippings; cook and stir 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Add potatoes, water and 2 Tbsp. bacon; stir. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer over medium-low heat 15 to 20 min. or just until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Microwave milk and cream cheese in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until milk is heated through. Whisk until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended. Add to potato mixture; stir.
• Stir in clams; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently. (Do not let chowder come to boil.) Remove pan from heat.
• Top with green onions and remaining bacon.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• For clams and clam-broth jelly, fill a 6-quart pot halfway with water, add 1 tablespoon salt, and boil over high heat. Immerse 4 clams for 15 to 20 seconds, and remove. Working over a small bowl, shuck the 4 clams with a short sharp paring knife, reserving liquid they release. Reserve shelled clams in another small bowl. Return any stubborn clams to boiling water for a few seconds. Repeat, cooking 4 clams at a time, using all 12. Drain any accumulated clam juice into clam juice bowl, cover clams with plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour 1 1/2 quarts cold water into a large bowl and add ice cubes. Strain clam juice into another small bowl. (You should have about 1 cup; add water if necessary.) Pour 3/4 cup clam juice into small saucepan, and heat over medium-low heat until it simmers. Soften unflavored gelatin in remaining clam juice. Pour hot clam juice over gelatin, and whisk until it dissolves. Set bowl of clam juice and gelatin halfway into ice-water bath, whisking often, for about 5 minutes, as the gel begins to set. Remove bowl when juice is barely set, but not firm.
• For chive oil, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a small saucepan until just smoking; remove from heat. Add minced chives and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring to dissolve. Let cool for 10 minutes, purée in a blender, strain through a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter, and reserve.
• For potato purée, boil 4 cups water in a small saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon salt and potatoes, and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving boiling water, and mash potatoes in medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 6 tablespoons potato water, blending with an immersion blender or food processor until potatoes are a thick paste. Add 2 tablespoons cream, stirring, until potato is consistency of thickened cream. Thin further, if necessary, with potato water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm, or warm before serving.
• For onion jam, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and chopped onion in a medium skillet over medium-low heat and sauté, stirring frequently, until onion is very soft, but not caramelized, about 15 minutes. Purée in a food processor with 1 tablespoon olive oil until smooth; season with salt to taste and reserve. Keep warm or warm before serving.
• For bacon cream, lay bacon in a cold, medium skillet, and fry over medium-high heat, flipping several times, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup cream to pan with bacon still in it and turn off heat under pan. Allow to rest 5 minutes; remove and reserve bacon strips from pan. Chop bacon finely, for use as a garnish. Keep cream warm but not hot, whipping to a froth in a bowl just before serving.
• Assemble servings in 6 small shallow bowls. Spoon 2 tablespoons warm potato purée into each bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of warm onion jam, slightly off-center. Spoon 1 tablespoon bacon cream around edge of purées. Place a room-temperature clam in center of bowl. If clam broth jelly has solidified, pulse it with an immersion blender or whisk it until it is a loose gel, and spoon 1 teaspoon directly over clam in each bowl. Drizzle chive oil over dish. Garnish with reserved diced bacon and with pinches of crushed potato chips.

CLAM CHOWDER (NEW ENGLAND STYLE)

Steps:

• In a large stockpot bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
• Add clams, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Uncover, quickly stir clams with a wooden spoon and cover again.
• Continue to cook 5 to 10 minutes longer, until most of the clams are opened.
• Transfer clams to a large bowl and strain the broth twice through a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth into another bowl, being careful to strain out the sand and grit.
• You should now have about 6 cups of clam broth.
• If not, add enough water to make it 6 cups.
• When clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Set clams and broth aside.
• In a large heavy pot, cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered.
• Pour off all, except 2 tablespoons, of the bacon fat.
• Add the butter, onions and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook until vegetables are completely wilted, about 3 minutes, being careful not to brown.
• Add the potatoes and the reserved clam broth and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until broth slightly thickens and the potatoes are very tender.
• If you prefer a thicker broth, mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Remove from heat, stir in the clams and heavy whipping cream, and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Set aside for 1 hour, to allow all of the flavors to thoroughly blend.
• Place the pot over low heat and slowly reheat, being careful not to bring to a boil.
• Serve hot, garnished with 1 or 2 pats of butter and some chopped scallions.

MY FAVORITE NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Brown the bacon until crisp in a thick-bottomed soup pot.
• Pour off half the fat.
• Add the onions and celery with a splash of water and saute for a few minutes until soft.
• Add the white wine, cream, milk, and the juice/nectar.
• Add bay leaves, thyme, and the diced potatoes.
• Bring the mixture to a SLOW simmer.
• Continue simmering for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are softened and the chowder has thickened.
• Add the reserved clam meat, evaporated milk and parsley.
• Bring back to a slow simmer.
• Taste the chowder and add enough salt and pepper to season it.
• Serve with your favorite crusty rolls or biscuits!
• Hint- This chowder can be made a day or two in advance and reheated prior to serving. Its flavor actually benefits from resting in the refrigerator overnight.