Best Sarges New England Clam Chowder Recipes

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.

SARGE'S NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a 12-quart stockpot, tightly pack the quahogs, then the steamers, and finally the razor clams. Add 6 cups cold water, wine, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover, and place over high heat, and cook until clams open, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the salt pork in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until browned, about 10 minutes. As rendered fat accumulates, pour into a heatproof glass measuring cup. Transfer pork to a plate lined with paper towels, reserving all rendered fat; set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel; add bacon. Cook over medium heat until cooked through, but not crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a second plate lined with paper towels; set aside.
• When the clams have opened, pour cooking liquid into a large saucepan, leaving any sediment behind. Set a few steamers and razor clams aside for garnish. Remove the meat from the remaining clams. Remove the siphons from the steamers; discard. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces, being careful not to sever the stomachs of the quahogs.
• In a clean stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook until they begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Add onions, fennel, and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add butter and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 5 minutes more.
• Add 6 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, rendered fat, heavy cream, dill, and chopped clam meat. Cook 10 minutes. Add bacon, and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Add steak sauce, old bay, capers; season with salt and pepper. Using the back of a large spoon, mash about half of the potatoes to break them up into smaller pieces. Cook for 10 minutes; stir in Worcestershire sauce. Adjust flavor using sugar, as desired.
• Continue cooking for about 30 minutes. Place reserved razor clams and steamer clams into bowls, ladle over soup, placing a pat of butter in the center of each bowl. Serve garnished with salt pork cracklings, chives, parsley, and crackers, as desired.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat 1 litre of water in a large pan over a high heat. Once boiling, tip in the clams. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 mins until the majority of the clam shells have opened. Pour into a sieve over a large jug, reserving the cooking water. Tip the reserved liquid through a muslin-lined sieve into a large non stick saucepan and set aside - this is your stock for the soup.
• Discard any clams which haven't opened, then remove three-quarters of the clams from their shells and roughly chop.
• Put the bay leaf in the pan with the clam stock and tip in the potato and parsnip cubes. Cook for 5-7 mins until tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove half of the potato and parsnip and set aside. Fish out the bay leaf, spoon off any scum from the surface of the soup, then blitz the remaining stock and vegetables in a food processor until smooth, or using a stick blender.
• Using the same saucepan over a medium heat, pour in the oil, add the bacon lardons, fry until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the pan, cook for 5 mins until soft, then pour in the blitzed chowder, potato and parsnip. Heat until simmering, then tip in the chopped clams, take off the heat and stir through the crème fraîche, adding lemon juice to taste. Serve, topped with the crispy bacon, reserved clams in their shells and a scattering of chives and black pepper.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER I

Steps:

• Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
• Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.