Best Newest New England Ham Clam Chowder For The Family Recipes

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER FROM THE DAUGHTER OF A NEWTON MASSACHUSETTS GAL

Steps:

• Make the base of the soup: In a large saute pan or wide shallow pan, melt the butter. Add the leeks, celery, garlic and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and cook until tender and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the clam juice and chopped clams. Simmer until tender. Keep warm.
• Cook the potatoes: Meanwhile, in another pot, combine the cream, half-and-half, diced potatoes and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in a splash each of Worcestershire and hot sauce.
• Cook the clams: Place a large pot on the stove, heat 1 cup water and add the clams in their shells. Cook until they pop open. Put the clams in a colander. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid.
• Finish the soup: Add the reserved cooking liquid from the clams to the leek mixture. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning. Combine with the potato mixture. Add the clams in their shells and the dill. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste for seasoning.

CONTEST-WINNING NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes., In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes., Stir in clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil). Crumble the cooked bacon; sprinkle over each serving.

NEW ENGLAND-STYLE CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Melt butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat; cook and stir salt pork, celery, onion, and garlic in melted butter until softened, about 7 minutes. Add potatoes, clam juice, tarragon, celery salt, and bay leaves to the stockpot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and place a cover on the pot. Cook at a simmer until potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes.
• Stir clams into the soup and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream, dill, salt, and pepper; stir and cook another 7 minutes. Remove the pot from heat. Remove and discard bay leaves. Garnish with parsley to serve.

CONTEST-WINNING NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain and set aside.
• Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender.
• Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
• Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper, and thyme.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half and half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Stir in clams and remaining half and half and heat through (do not boil). Crumble the reserved bacon and sprinkle over each serving.

NEWEST NEW ENGLAND HAM & CLAM CHOWDER FOR THE FAMILY

Steps:

• In a soup pot, brown the bacon; set aside when crisp.
• Add chopped onion (add the butter if you don't have a lot of bacon grease--otherwise save the butter for *later*--as noted below); saute onion for 2-3 minutes, then add potatoes, saute a few more minutes.
• Add green pepper to the pot, saute for about 1 minute.
• Mix veggies, then add ham and about 1/3 of the clam juice (don't bother measuring, just make sure the potatoes are covered).
• Simmer until the potatoes are just starting to get soft (20 minutes?).
• Add another shot of clam juice and 1 1/2°C of cream (or milk); return to a low simmer.
• Add remainder of clam juice from the big can and reserved from smaller cans; bring to a simmer again, stirring the pot occasionally to prevent sticking.
• ****If you'd like to have a more "rich" chowder, add the butter now.****.
• Mix remaining cream/milk with cornstarch, add gradually to simmering pot until slightly thickened (not goopy, please).
• Add salt and pepper to taste along with pinch (or two) of parsley.
• Remove from heat and add the clams; stir. Allow to rest for two - three minutes.
• Crumble crisp bacon over top of soup; stir.
• Serve immediately along with some hearty home-made croutons (1/2 loaf of French bread, cubed & toasted) and grated Cheddar cheese.
• VARIATIONS: Skip the ham and add 1-2 cups sweet corn kernels.
• ***NOTE*** When the store has a special on peppers, I buy a bunch, clean them up and chop into preparation-size bits, then quick-freeze them on cookie sheets (one-layer deep), then pour them into one-gallon zipper bags to store in the freezer. I keep a smaller container in my kitchen freezer for ready-access (and doesn't take up so much space).