Clam Chowder
I was thinking about making Manhattan clam chowder, but my children absolutely adore creamy clam chowder, so they asked me to make the New England version instead. I adapted an easy clam chowder recipe by Dave Lieberman, and the soup was perfect for a cold, rainy day. The clams were really tender and delicious, and the crunchy, salty bacon was the perfect garnish. This easy chowder recipe paired nicely with a Caesar salad and crusty bread.
Clam Chowder
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¾ yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 (6.5 oz) cans of chopped clams with their juice
- 3¼ cups chicken broth, divided
- 2 cups whole milk (or half whole milk & half heavy cream)
- 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
How to Make Clam Chowder:
In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat. Once the bacon is done, remove it to paper towels for later use.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the Dutch oven.
Add the onion and celery to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, then add the minced garlic and stir frequently for 45 seconds.
Add the clam juice (reserving the clams for later), 3 cups of chicken broth, whole milk, russet potatoes, sea salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
Cover over medium-low heat for 60 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, bring the soup to a slight boil. Mix the corn starch with the remaining ¼ cup of cold chicken broth until thoroughly combined.
Add the slurry to the soup and stir.
Stir in the clams. Reduce the heat and let the soup thicken for a few minutes. Taste and re-season if needed.
Ladle into soup bowls and top with bacon crumbles and parsley. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
- ¾ yellow onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams with their juice
- 3¼ cups chicken broth divided
- 2 cups whole milk (or half whole milk & half heavy cream)
- 4 russet potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat. Once the bacon is done, remove it to paper towels for later use.
- Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the Dutch oven.
- Add the onion and celery to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, then add the minced garlic and stir frequently for 45 seconds.
- Add the clam juice (reserving the clams for later), 3 cups of chicken broth, whole milk, russet potatoes, sea salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
- Cover over medium-low heat for 60 minutes.
- When the potatoes are tender, bring the soup to a slight boil. Mix the corn starch with the remaining ¼ cup of cold chicken broth until thoroughly combined.
- Add the slurry to the soup and stir.
- Stir in the clams. Reduce the heat and let the soup thicken for a few minutes. Taste and re-season if needed.
- Ladle into soup bowls and top with bacon crumbles and parsley. Enjoy.
