Southern Italian Clam Chowder Food

CALIFORNIA CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and crumble, reserving the drippings in the skillet.
• Cook and stir potatoes, celery, and onion in the bacon grease over medium heat until cooked through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain grease from skillet and stir seafood seasoning, garlic salt, onion powder, thyme, and white pepper into vegetable mixture until evenly coated.
• Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk cornstarch into melted butter until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir half-and-half and milk into butter mixture until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Drain juice from canned clams and stir juice into milk-butter mixture; add vegetable mixture and stir. Cook and stir soup until heated through but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Stir clams into soup and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle bacon and drizzle red wine vinegar over soup before serving.

SOUTHERN ITALIAN CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• 1. Saute bacon in large saucepan until crisp. Add onion, carrots and celery; saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• 2. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, clam juice, rosemary and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• 3. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Stir in clams and juice. Simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. 2 points per serving

PORTUGUESE-STYLE CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
• Add the paprika, thyme, and oregano and cook until toasted and aromatic, about 1 minute.
• Add the canned tomatoes, water, sausage, and fennel and bring to a simmer and cook until fennel is tender, about 15 minutes. (if making ahead of time, remove from the heat and refrigerate until ready to finish. Reheat gently before proceeding).
• Add the clams and increase the heat to high.
• Simmer vigorously until the clams open, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Discard any clams that don't open.
• Stir in the Madeira and vinegar.
• Divide among 4 bowls and drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Serve at once!

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Bring the potatoes and the clam juice to the boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the clams and any of their liquid. Cook about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Add the pork to a saute pan and cook over low heat until rendered. Add the onions and cook until transparent. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the flour and cook until slightly colored. Add a bit more flour if necessary if the mixture is too soft. Bring the clams, juice and potatoes back to the boil. Gradually stir in the cooked roux. Bring to a rolling boil to thicken. Stir continuously while cooking. Beat the half-and-half and add to the soup. It may not be necessary to use all the half-and-half; the soup should be thick. Adjust the seasoning and add a dash of hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce before serving.

ITALIAN MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain clams, saving liquid.
• In a large saucepan, saute celery and green onions in the butter. Add water, tomatoes (including liquid), carrots, bouillon, thyme, pepper, and the clam liquid. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Add macaroni; cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add clams; heat through.

SOUTHERN CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a Dutch oven till crisp. Remove bacon, and cook onion in drippings till limp.
• Return bacon to pot with clams and juice, potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer till potatoes are tender.
• Dissolve cornstarch in a little of the cold milk and add to pot with remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat till chowder is thickened and steamy hot. Don't let it come back to a boil. Serve with oyster crackers.

PORTUGUESE CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Warm olive oil in large heavy bottom stock pot. Add onion, green pepper and sausage and saute until veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic in the last minute.
• Add spices and saute another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add tomato paste and saute another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add canned tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Add the clams, cover and simmer until all the shells open, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add additional clam broth, if necessary.
• Add vinegar and tarragon and stir in.
• Ladle into individual bowls and add optional seasonings, to taste.