New England Clam Chowder
What would an 18th century soup recipe be without a bit of controversy stirred in? New England clam chowder is a cream or milk based soup made with fresh clams, onions and potatoes and absolutely NO tomatoes. With New York’s debut of the tomato based Manhattan clam chowder in the 1930s, the polarization on the tomato issue became serious business and remains so today. A Maine representative in 1939 actually introduced a bill into the state legislature that would have made tomatoes in clam chowder illegal. This proposal may or may not have been done as a joke at the time, but in any event the bill did not pass, to the disappointment of many a chowder purist.
The name “chowder” is believed to have come from the French word chaudière, a large cooking vessel, as well as from the word chaudrée, the fish soup recipes brought by migrating French into Canada and Maine.
- 25 to 30 littleneck clams (2½ to 3 lbs)
- 3 large tomatoes, chopped (just kidding – seriously do NOT use tomatoes)
- 4 to 6 slices of bacon, chopped (for garnish and snacking)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled & cut into small ½” cubes
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups water
- 1¾ cups half-and-half
- 1½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- Optional garnishes: chives, oyster crackers
- Rinse clams well under cold running water. Place into a large pot with 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat, then cover and continue to simmer until the clams open (about 6 or 7 minutes).
- Strain the clams through a sieve into a large bowl to collect the broth. Place the strained clams into a bowl and allow to cool (cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent them from drying out).
- In a large pot, crisp the bacon for a few minutes then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat then add celery, onion and thyme. Cook until for about 8 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the flour white stirring and cook for about a minute. Add the clam broth, water and potato and bring to simmer for about 10 or 15 minutes, until the potatoes get soft.
- While the soup is simmering, remove the clams from their shells and chop into large pieces.
- Turn the burner down to medium-low then add the half-and-half and gently warm the soup (do not boil). Stir in the clams and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the soup from the heat. Serve bowls of chowder with a garnish of crispy bacon (if you haven’t eaten all of it already) and perhaps some chives, or a few sprinkles fresh thyme leaves and some oyster crackers of course.
New England Clam Chowder
Clams – New England Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder
