Clam Chowder
Creamy clam chowder with tender clams, potatoes and smoky bacon. A hearty bowl for a cold evening.
- prep
- 15 min
- cook
- 35 min
- total
- 50 min
- serves
- 6
- level
- easy
Clam chowder is coastal comfort food: tender clams, potatoes and smoky bacon in a creamy base. It works as a cozy dinner or as a starter for a special meal.
The one rule is gentle heat once the dairy goes in. Keep it below a boil and the chowder stays silky instead of curdling. Serve it with oyster crackers or crusty bread.
method
Cook the diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook in the bacon fat for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the diced potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stirring constantly to coat, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to lose the raw flour taste.
Gradually add the clam juice and the reserved clam liquid, whisking to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaf and thyme.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Lower the heat and slowly stir in the cream and milk. Add the clams and warm them through for 3 to 5 minutes. Don't let it boil, or the dairy can curdle.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf.
Ladle into bowls and top with the crispy bacon, parsley or chives and oyster crackers. Serve with warm crusty bread.
chef's tips
- Keep the heat gentle once the cream goes in. Boiling curdles the dairy.
- Don't throw out the reserved clam liquid. A lot of the flavor lives there.
- Add the clams at the very end. They only need a few minutes, and long cooking turns them rubbery.