New England Clam Chowder
This classic recipe is from New England's largest fishing port, New Bedford MA.
Servings 8
Calories
Cost 25
Equipment
- 6 quart stock or soup pot
- Sieve
- Cheese cloth
Ingredients
- 50 Little Neck clams (about 5 pounds), scrubbed
- 10 oz. Salt pork cut into ½ in. pieces
- 4 tbsp. Butter- unsalted
- 6 stalk celery chopped fine
- 1 Spanish onion - large chopped fine
- 1 tbsp. thyme - fresh chopped fine
- 1 tbsp. sage - fresh chopped fine
- 1/2 cup flour - all purpose
- 2 russet potato cut into 1/2 in. pieces
- 3 cups Half and Half
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash clams under cold running water. Add clams to a large pot and add 6 cups water.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and cook until the clams
open, about 5-10 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve (cheese
cloth will ensure all sand is removed) into a large container. Remove the clams
from their shells, chop into coarse pieces and reserve in a bowl, cover with plastic
wrap to prevent drying. - Cook the salt pork in a large pot over medium
heat until fat is rendered, about 10 minutes; remove crispy skin pieces with a
slotted spoon. Add the butter to the rendered fat pot, over a medium heat. Add
the celery, onion and herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about
10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 -2 minutes to create a roux. - Stir in the reserved clam broth, 3 cups water stirring continually, incorporating into
the roux without creating lumps. Add and
stir the potatoes to the thickened base. Bring to a simmer and cook until the
potatoes are just tender 10-15 minutes. - Reduce the heat under the
soup to medium low. Add the clams and whisk
in the half-and-half (at room temperature) and warm through (do not boil). Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls.