Best Southern Italian Clam Chowder Recipes

MY BEST CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
• Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
• Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

SOUTHERN ITALIAN CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• 1. Saute bacon in large saucepan until crisp. Add onion, carrots and celery; saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• 2. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, clam juice, rosemary and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• 3. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Stir in clams and juice. Simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. 2 points per serving

HATTERAS STYLE CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion, celery and carrots in oil until they begin to soften. Stir in potatoes, clams, clam juice, thyme, pepper and bacon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

RHODE ISLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put the clams in a large, heavy Dutch oven, add about 4 cups water, then set over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook until clams have opened, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. (Clams that fail to open after 15 to 20 minutes should be discarded.) Strain clam broth through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or doubled-up paper towels, and set aside. Remove clams from shells, and set those aside as well.
• Rinse out the pot, and return it to the stove. Add butter, and turn heat to medium-low. Add the bacon or salt pork, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pork has started to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pork from fat, and set aside.
• Add onions and celery to the fat, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes and wine, and continue cooking until the wine has evaporated and the potatoes have just started to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of clam broth, reserving the rest for another use. Add the thyme and the bay leaf.
• Partly cover the pot, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the clams into bits that are about the size of the bacon dice.
• When the potatoes are tender, stir in the chopped clams and reserved bacon. Add black pepper to taste. Let the chowder come just to a simmer, and remove from heat. Fish out the thyme and bay leaf, and discard.
• The chowder should be allowed to sit for a while to cure. Reheat it before serving, then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with oyster crackers.

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.

CLASSIC CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large soup kettle, fry bacon over medium heat until bacon crisps, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon; set aside.
• Keep 2 tablespoons bacon fat in pan. (If necessary, add oil to yield 2 tablespoons.) Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and bay leaves; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so.
• Whisk in mashed potatoes, clam juice (bottled and what you've drained from the clams) and 1 cup of water. Add new potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat; continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in clams, cream and parsley; season with salt and pepper.
• Heat through and serve, garnishing each bowl with reserved bacon.

ITALIAN MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain clams, saving liquid.
• In a large saucepan, saute celery and green onions in the butter. Add water, tomatoes (including liquid), carrots, bouillon, thyme, pepper, and the clam liquid. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Add macaroni; cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add clams; heat through.

SOUTHERN CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a Dutch oven till crisp. Remove bacon, and cook onion in drippings till limp.
• Return bacon to pot with clams and juice, potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer till potatoes are tender.
• Dissolve cornstarch in a little of the cold milk and add to pot with remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat till chowder is thickened and steamy hot. Don't let it come back to a boil. Serve with oyster crackers.