Makeover Moms Clam Chowder Food

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.

MOM'S CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook potato in 2 cups water with pinch of salt until tender, but do not drain.
• In a small pan, saute onion in butter until tender; add flour, cayenne, and celery seed; stir well.
• Drain juice from clams into potatoes and reserve clams for later.
• Add parsley and milk to potatoes, and stir well.
• Heat potato mixture, and add onion/flour mixture, stirring constantly until thickened slightly.
• Stir in clams; and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 5-10 minutes more or until heated through.
• Serve.

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.

THICK AND CREAMY NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Add bacon to sauce pan and cook on medium low heat until crispy.
• Add onion and cook until translucent.
• Add clam juice from both cans.
• Add potatoes.
• Cook and cover until potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
• Stir occasionally so potatoes won't stick.
• Add clams, soup, cream, milk, and dill weed.
• Stir together.
• Add butter and let melt into the chowder.
• Cook for about 30-45 minutes or until thickened.
• Stir occasionally.

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.

FIVE STAR CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In an 10 quart pot, melt butter and sauté bacon over low heat until cooked, but do not brown.
• Add diced onion and celery, and sauté until tender and translucent.
• Add clam broth, white pepper, worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, potatoes and herbs.
• Cook approximately 13 minutes to soften potatoes and incorporate flavors.
• Add heavy cream and chopped clams. Bring to boil,.
• Mix cornstarch and water together and add, stirring briskly.
• Salt & pepper to taste.
• Enjoy.

MOM'S CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Dice celery, onion, and potatoes (I use a food processor for the onion and celery, but if you want larger pieces that is fine too).
• Place in saucepan.
• Drain juice from clams and pour over the vegetables.
• Add enough water to cover the vegetables.
• Cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes).
• In another medium to large pot melt butter.
• Add flour and half & half.
• Cook mixture stirring constantly until thick and smooth.
• Add the vegetables with the juice and clams to the cream sauce.
• Add salt, pepper (to taste), and sugar.
• Cook a few minutes longer until heated through and serve.

MOM'S CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place potatoes, celery, onions and carrot in a pot with enough water to cover and stir in the chicken stock base.
• Cook until tender.
• In a separate, larger pot, melt butter and whisk in flour.
• Add the half and half and whisk.
• Add the veggies with all of their liquid and mix.
• Add the clams.
• Heat through, BUT DO NOT Boil.