New England Quahog Chowder Food

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large stockpot bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the clams, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot and quickly stir the clams with a wooden spoon. Cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer (this will depend on the type and size of the clams), or until most of the clams are open.
• Transfer the clams to a large bowl or baking dish and strain the broth twice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, being careful to strain out the sand. (You should have about 8 cups of clam broth. If not, add enough water to bring the volume up to 8 cups.) When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set the clams and broth aside.
• Cook the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat until crisp and the fat is rendered. Pour off all the bacon fat except 2 tablespoons. Add the 4 tablespoons butter, leeks, onions, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and cook until the vegetables are thoroughly wilted, about 3 minutes, being careful not to brown. Add the potatoes and reserved clam broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the broth thickens slightly and the potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes. (If you like a thicker broth, mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.). Remove from the heat, Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves, stir in the clams and cream, and season with the pepper and the salt to taste.
• Set the chowder aside for 1 hour, covered, to allow the flavors to marry. Place the pot over low heat and slowly reheat, being careful not to let boil. Serve hot; garnish each bowl with a pat of butter and some parsley and chives.

RHODE ISLAND QUAHOG CHOWDER

Steps:

• In large stock pot, cover potatoes with water by 2 inches. Add salt and pepper, and bring to boil then reduce to a simmer.
• In large skillet, heat the salt pork. Add the onion and saute. When onions are translucent, add to the simmering potatoes.
• Add quahogs, quahog juice, and thyme to the potatoes. Simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

QUAHOG CHOWDER

Steps:

• Mince the clams.
• Place bacon or salt pork in the bottom of a large kettle and fry for five minutes.
• Add onion and cook until golden.
• Cover potatoes in boiling water; parboil for five minutes.
• Drain and reserve water.
• Place a layer of potatoes and a layer of minced clams in the kettle with onion; sprinkle with flour and salt/pepper.
• Add remaining potatoes, dredge remaining flour and salt/pepper.
• Cover with 3 cups of boiling water (including the potato water) and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
• Add milk and bring up to boiling point.
• Blend butter or bacon fat with the tablespoon of flour; add clam juice and stir until thickened.
• Add slowly to chowder just before serving.
• Serve hot with crackers.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Wash the clams several times in cold water. Make sure all of the clams are closed. Discard any clams that remain open after you tap on the shell. In a large pot over high heat, add 2 cups of water, the onion, celery, thyme, 1 bay leaf, and the peppercorns. Add the clams, cover and steam until all of the clams open.
• Remove the clams from the liquid and remove them from the shells. Chop the clams into small pieces and set aside. Strain the juice through a fine strainer and reserve.
• Cook the bacon in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat, until rendered and crispy. Add the onions, remaining 3 bay leaves, the thyme, crushed red pepper and butter. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add the potatoes and the reserved clam juice. Cook until potatoes are tender.
• Add the heavy cream and chopped clams and simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir in the chopped parsley.
• Serve in bowls with oyster crackers.

NANA'S QUAHOG CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put enough oil to cover bottom of large pan over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook for 10 minutes stirring often. Add potatoes and continue to stir so it will not stick to pan. Add 1 quart of water and tomato sauce. Add another 1 quart and 1/2 cup of water. Add seasoning, continue to cook another 1/2 hour or until potatoes are cooked. Add quahogs with the juice. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place clams in a large pot with enough cold water to cover them, add the baking powder and stir well. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
• In a small frying pan cook bacon until crisp and drain well, reserving 1 Tbs of fat.
• Return clams to the pot and add the parsley sprigs, bay leaf, quartered onion and 1 cup of water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to med. high and cook unil the clams begin to open, about 3 minutes Continue to cook, uncovering the pot as needed to remove clams as soon as they open slightly; do not over cook.
• When cool enough to handle pry open shells and remove the clams over the pot to catch all the juices. Discard any that do not open. Coarsely chop the clams in a bowl, cover and set aside. Strain the broth and reserve.
• In a large sauce pan, add the bacon fat, 1 Tbs. of butter. Add the chopped onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic, celery and pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and the reserved clam broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med. low and cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
• In a med. sauce pan, scald the milk and cream, about 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 Tbs. of butter with the flour until smooth. Whisk this into the chowder, 1 teaspoons at a time until no raw flour taste remains, about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk and cream and the hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in the clams and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately and enjoy.

RHODE ISLAND QUAHOG CHOWDA

Steps:

• Scrub quahaugs to clean well.
• Place into a large kettle with the 6 cups water, cover and cook over medium until shells open (approximately 5 minutes).
• Remove quahaugs from water and throw out quahaugs any that haven't opened up.
• Remove the meat from the opened shells and chop into fine pieces.
• Discard shells, but save all of the cooking liquid.
• In a large pot, render the salt pork until brown.
• Add the onions and saute a few minutes.
• Measure reserved cooking water and add additional water to make a full 8 cups liquid.
• Pour this liquid into the pot with the salt pork and onions.
• Add potatoes, salt and pepper.
• Simmer until the potatoes are very tender (aapproximately 5-10 minutes).
• Add the chopped quahaug meat and bring to a slow boil for 2-3 minutes.
• If you like, you may set a small pitcher of milk or cream on the table for guests to add a splash to individual portions, for those who prefer it that way.