Pacific Seafoods Clam Chowder

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.

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• First, shuck the clams and remove the bellies. Clean the clams and then chop them into small pieces. Put to the side until ready to add to the pot.
• Heat the butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the celery and sweet onion and cook, mixing often, until they begin to soften. Next, sprinkle in the salt, black pepper and seafood boil seasoning. Add the self-rising flour to make a roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the clams and clam juice.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon and finely chop. Add to the pot. Add the potatoes along with the scallions. Stir to combine. Lastly, add the milk and half-and-half. Stir to warm. Serve in a bowl with parsley as a garnish.

MY BEST CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
• Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
• Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

PACIFIC SEAFOOD'S CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy casserole. Add the bacon and saute until crisp. Add the leek, onion and celery and saute until soft and barely golden.
• Stir in the seasonings, clam juice, clams, potatoes and white wine. Cook gently until the potatoes are tender.
• Add the light cream, salt and pepper. Thicken with equal parts flour and butter that have been mixed together.
• [Joan's note: Marranate tells me the chefs create a roux with the butter and flour. Without testing this recipe, I'm not sure how much roux you'll need, so you may as well make a lot. (It keeps well in the freezer, and you can use it to thicken other sauces and soups.).
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, melt 1 stick of butter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the butter while whisking the mixture. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture is smooth and a pale golden color.
• Add 3/4 of the roux to the soup and continue to cook until the soup thickens. Add the remaining roux if you need it, cooking the soup a bit after the final addition.

NORTH PACIFIC CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. Saute onion and celery in the drippings. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender., Combine flour and cream until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the halibut, tarragon, salt, pepper and crumbled bacon. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with tarragon sprigs if desired.