New England Clam Chowder
Background:
Just one of those out-of-a-whim projects during my leave recently. I've actually been thinking of making this for a month or so and even had a can of clam meat ready. Trust me, you'll never settle for the weak imitations outside again!
Ingredients: (serves 6)
Background:
Just one of those out-of-a-whim projects during my leave recently. I've actually been thinking of making this for a month or so and even had a can of clam meat ready. Trust me, you'll never settle for the weak imitations outside again!
Ingredients: (serves 6)
- Fresh clams 500g
- Minced clams in juice
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Dried parsley
- Dried terragon
- 1 bay leaf
- Flour
- Bacon (4 rashers) - diced into 1cm x 1cm or smaller
- 1 onion - diced
- 2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
- 1 small leek (may be replaced with celery) - diced
- 2 large potatoes - skinned and diced
- Soak the clams in fresh water. They should open up in 5 mins or so, then swirl them around to get rid of the sand inside. Drain the water, then add more water and swirl. Repeat for 5-6 times as necessary until the water runs clear.
- Pre-cook the diced potatoes in a pot of boiling water, and simmer for 10 minutes then net them out. Reserve the potato broth for cooking the clams.
- Add a small amount of oil to a skillet, then add diced bacon. Don't let the bacon brown! Add the chopped garlic, onions and leek, and gently saute till the bacon lets off a lovely smell and the veggies are soft.
- To the pot of potato broth, add the bay leaf and clams and cover at low heat until all the clams have opened. Inspect them after 10 minutes, and discard any that have not opened.
- Add the potatoes back in to the pot, and all the veggies and bacon from the skillet. Dump in the can of minced clams, juice and all. Turn back on to low heat and simmer.
- Clean the skillet, and add 1/2 cup of butter. Melt it under low heat, then add 4 tablespoons of flour slowly, stirring as you do so. Add in 3/4 bottle of heavy cream.
- Pour the milky contents from the skillet into the pot. Add salt (sparingly! About 2 teaspoons is plenty, as the clams are salty to begin with) and pepper to taste, and more flour solution or heavy cream as desired.
- Add in 1 tablespoon of dried parsley and 2 teaspoons of dried tarragon. Read to serve!
- Preheat the oven to 200C
- Let the clam chowder cool, then dish out into individual oven-safe soup bowls.
- Make (oh gosh, the work!!) or just buy a sheet of puff pastry. Using a cookie-cutter, cut out round pieces that are 1 inch larger than the diameter of your soup bowl.
- Beat an egg and paint the edge of the entire round piece of puff pastry. Invert it over the bowl and press down to seal firmly on the sides.
- Bake the whole thing, bowl and all, until the pastry has puffed up and is steaming, about 20-30 minutes. Let rest for 15 mins and serve.
