.:: SOUPS ** NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER ::.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

To native New Englander Marian Burros (the author of this recipe) there is only one clam chowder. She says, “everything else is soup with clams in it”. This is the creamy version (the one with tomatoes is called Manhattan Clam Chowder).

1 large onion – chopped 3 tablespoons, butter (or 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 tablespoon, butter) 1 1/2 cups, clam juice 2 medium-large new potatoes - scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon, chopped fresh thyme 2 cups, heavy cream [see Cook’s Notes, below] 1/2 cup, milk 1 tablespoon, flour 1 1/2 pints, shucked clams salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste chopped fresh parsley for garnish
In a soup pot or large saucepan, saute the onion in the butter (or oil and butter combination) over medium-high heat until translucent. Add the clam juice, potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme and bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are tender - about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Stir a little of the milk into the flour to make a paste. Add the paste to the remaining milk, stir until smooth, then stir the mixture into the hot soup. Reduce the heat until it is as low as possible and add the clams for just a few minutes until the clams are cooked. Don’t overcook the clams, or they will become tough. Discard the bay leaf. The chowder should be thick. Season with salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with parsley. COOK’S NOTES: If you don’t want to use heavy cream you can substitute 2 cups half-and-half and 1/2 cup milk, OR 2 cups milk and 1/2 cup, half-and-half. If you do either, increase the amount of flour to 2 tablespoons. The flour is essential; otherwise, the soup will curdle. Saltines, oyster crackers, or common crackers are the usual accompaniment to chowder.

Recipe adapted from Cooking for Comfort by Marian Burros (Simon & Schuster)