Especially in North America, people love to eat chowder at this time of year. When I put it on the menus of my restaurants, we always sell every last drop. The thick, chunky soup really satisfies and chases the chill — just as anyone who knows French might guess from the name, which comes from chaud, meaning warm.
How To Make Clam Chowder
A delicious, traditional, cream-based chowder that will satisfy your soup cravings.
Ingredients
Croutons:
- 1 loaf sourdough bread, crusts removed, cubed
- regular extra-virgin olive oil, or garlic-flavored extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Bouquet Garni:
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 garlic cloves
- 20 whole black peppercorns
Chowder:
- 2 cup white wine
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ lb. littleneck clams, cleaned
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 2 oz. smoked bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced, or 1/2 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inner stalks celery, diced
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 russet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 cup milk
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Pinch cayenne
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To make the croutons:
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with just enough oil to coat them lightly and evenly.
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Sprinkle with the parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss well.
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Spread them evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
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Set aside to cool.
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If not using immediately, store in an airtight container at room temperature.
To assemble a bouquet garni:
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Place the thyme and parsley sprigs, garlic cloves, and peppercorns in the center of a square of cheesecloth large enough to hold them comfortably; then, gather up the corners and tie securely with kitchen string to make a neat bundle.
To make the chowder:
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In a large saucepan, put the wine, water, and bouquet garni.
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Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
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Add the clams, cover with a lid, and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes.
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Strain the clams through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl, reserving both the cooking liquid and the clams.
- Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- When the oil is hot enough to swirl easily, add the bacon and sauté until crispy, 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and sauté, stirring continuously, for 1 minute more.
- Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add the celery and carrot and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Stirring continuously, sprinkle the flour into the pan to make a loose paste, adding a little more oil if the mixture seems dry.
- Do not let the paste brown.
- Stirring continuously, immediately pour the strained clam liquid into the pan.
- Add 1 fresh thyme sprig.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Add the potato, milk, lemon juice, and cayenne and continue simmering until the potato is tender, 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pull the clams from their shells and roughly chop them.
- When the potato is tender, return the clams to the pan, add the cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring well.
- Continue simmering until the clams are heated through, 3-5 minutes more.
- Ladle the chowder into heated serving bowls.
- Garnish each bowl with croutons.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Sugar: 6g
- :
- Calcium: 158mg
- Calories: 589kcal
- Carbohydrates: 69g
- Cholesterol: 61mg
- Fat: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Iron: 6mg
- Potassium: 518mg
- Protein: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Sodium: 1194mg
- Vitamin A: 2269IU
- Vitamin C: 11mg
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