Clam Chowder

(from cokerlj’s recipe box)

This is the recipe Pamela Motl uses, and she is a great cook! She got it from Anne Burrell, the Food Network star! I also had several other Clam Chowder recipes and took some ideas from those recipes and tweeked the original recipe to make it my own.
FYI the original recipe called for fresh thyme to be bundled and simmered in chowder. We do not care for thyme so I used marjoram, basil and lots of parsley! If you like thyme, you could use instead of marjoram.

Source: Linda Coker, Pamela Motl, Anne Burrell (Food Network)

Categories: Seafood, Soup

Ingredients

  • 4 dozen little neck or cherry stone clams, scrubbed
  • 4 thick slices bacon, cut into lardons
  • 1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 small bundle of marjoram, 1-2 basil leaves & several stems of parsley tied together
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 to 2 shakes hot sauce (Tabasco)
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
  • white pepper to taste
  • OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS IF NOT USING FRESH CLAMS:
  • 2 10 ounce cans clams plus 1/2 cup reserved juice
  • 1 8 ounce jar clam juice

Directions

  1. FOR FRESH CLAMS: Place the clams and 1 cup of water in a large pot. Cover and place over a high heat and cook the clams for 6 to 7 minutes. Uncover and remove the open clams.Cover the pot again and continue cooking the clams that haven’t opened yet. Cook the clams for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and discard any clams that have not opened. Strain the liquid from the pot through a mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter and reserve. Coarsely chop the clams and reserve.

  2. FOR CANNED CLAMS: Drain clams, reserve 1/2 cup of the juice. Rinse the clams under cool water, allow to drain while making chowder. Use the 1/2 cup reserved juice from the can and the 8 ounce jar of clam juice when the recipe calls for adding the clam juice.

  3. contd.

  4. -

  5. -

  6. -

  7. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil into the bottom of the clam pot and toss in the bacon. Bring the pan to a medium heat. When the bacon has let off a lot of fat and become brown and crispy, toss in the onions and celery and season lightly with salt. Cook the onions and celery until they are very soft and aromatic but have no color, 7 to 8 minutes.

  8. Add the potatoes and minced garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, covered, stirring every so often.

  9. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and potato mixture and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in the reserved clam juice. When the clam juice has been whisked in and there are no lumps, whisk in the milk and heavy cream and toss in the bay leaves and bundle of other herbs.

  10. Stir in Worcestershire, Tabasco and paprika. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed using white pepper and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.

  11. Toss in the reserved clams. Taste and re-season if needed and add hot sauce if using. If it is too thick add a little more milk. Remove herb bundle and bay leaves.

  12. Garnish with a sprinkle of Paprika and fresh parsley sprig. (optional) We discovered it needed just a tad more “kick” to it and added a “shake” or two of cajun/creole seasoning at the table…husband added lots more than I did.

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