Clam chowder recipe

I don't see any replies yet so heres my basic for~1gal+

4oz rendered bacon or salt pork fat
4oz butter
1lb white mirepoix-sm dice celery, leek, onion
8oz flour
3/4gal clam stock
Sachet-bay, fresh thyme,pcorns
diced potatoes, russets
~1qt half&half
fresh clams steamed or canned clams/liquor reserved for stock
s&p to taste
chopped fresh thyme to finish

Method
Sweat mirepoix in fats, add flour to form roux & cook out a few minutes
Slowly add clam stock, whisking to incorporate, add sachet & simmer, stirring frequently to avoid sticking/burning
Add diced potatoes & cook until tender
Finish with 1/2-1/2, clams, thyme-adjust thickness if needed w/ dairy or clam juice.
Adjust seasoning-watch to not oversalt due to pork fat and clam juice.

I find using all pork fat gives the chowder too much of a bacon flavor, why i use butter also for the roux.
I also will use 1/2-1/2 or even milk, cream tastes too rich for me.
Add cooked clams to finish or they will toughen.
I prefer fresh thyme to flavor my chowders.
hth, danny

This is from last year,

Mmmmm, Chowder!!!

It’s really quite simple you know.

First, you drive up to the Cape, buy your claming permit and head to Eastham’s “Great Salt Pond” (be sure to have on old sneakers)

Now you dig for cherry stones and quahogs. After that, you head to your cottage, wash, and scrub the clam very, very well under cold running water.

Then in a large stockpot place some thinly sliced onions, a couple pieces of fresh thyme, a bit of white wine a bay leaf or two and some water (not much though, your looking to steam, not boil the clams)

Gently place your incredible clean clam in the pot, cover and fire it up. Let them steam until the little guys open up then kill the heat.

Carefully remove the clams and let them cool, Strain your now wonderful clam broth through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth and reserve.

So, at this time you of course have lots of diced celery and onion, as well as lardoons of bacon. In a pot, slowly render your bacon (pancetta and fat back will work also) when your bacon is three 1/4s cooked add the vegetables and a bouquet garni and sauté until the veggies are tender.

Add a bit of flour to this to develop a roux (not to much, just enough to help marry everything) cook this out for a few minutes and add a bit of white wine from Truro and reduce by half, then add your broth (you may need some water as well) please no salt at this time because your base may be salty already.

So now peel some white spuds and dice, then pull your mollusks and dice as well. Bring a spot of cream to a simmer (or milk, or ½ & ½ but I like cream)

Be sure to stir your developing soup as your have a bottom roux that will scorch if left alone.

Ok, add your spuds and cook until tender, then your clams, then and your cream.

Add a nice shot of fresh thyme and dill (I like it this way) check and adjust your seasoning, remove your bouquet garni and you should be ready to enjoy


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Baruch ben Rueven / Chana

"The Greatest Thing you ever could do now,is share a smile with someone who's blue now. It's really easy just!"


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Baruch ben Rueven / Chana

"If the sun refused to shine, I will still be lovin you. Mountians crumble to the sea, it will still be you and me"



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09-28-2003 04:36 PM