Clam Chowder
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 6 oz chopped clams
  • 1½ cups golden potato, cut into ½ cubes
  • 1 stalk celery, sliced
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • ¼ onion, diced
  • 1½ tbsp butter, divided
  • ¼ tsp herbs de provence
  • 1 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 8 oz clam juice
  • ¼ cup vegetable broth
  • ½ cup milk and ½ cup cream or 1 cup cream
  • ⅛ cup dry sherry
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • sweet paprika, hot paprika, or Old Bay Seasoning as a garnish
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, add the potatoes and cover with hot water.
  2. Drain the hot water to wash away the free starch.
  3. Cover the potatoes with hot water again.
  4. Place the potatoes into the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on 30%.
  5. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
  6. In a large sauce pan or pot over medium/medium-high heat, melt one portion of the butter.
  7. When melted, add the celery, onions, and carrots.
  8. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
  9. Cook the vegetables until softened, approximately 5 - 7 minutes.
  10. Add the remaining butter.
  11. When melted, add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables and absorb the butter.
  12. Cook the flour, butter and vegetables for 1 - 2 minutes until the raw flour taste is gone.
  13. Add the herbs de provence and stir to distribute.
  14. Add the clam juice, vegetable broth, milk/cream, and potatoes.
  15. Stir to combine and bring the soup up to a steady simmer.
  16. Reduce the heat to low/low-medium and simmer lightly for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  17. When the potatoes are done, increase the heat to bring the soup to a light boil.
  18. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the sherry and clams with their juice.
  19. Stir to combine and cover for 3 - 5 minutes to heat the clams through using the residual heat without over cooking them.
  20. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  21. Serve with a garnish of sweet and/or hot paprika or Old Bay Seasoning.
Notes
There are two benefits to partially cooking the potatoes in the microwave. The first benefit is it shortens the overall time to complete the recipe. The second benefit is to avoid overcooking the cream based soup (i.e. reduce the risk of scalding) and overcooking the other vegetables. Also, I want to mention this chowder is not the thick, heavy type. This chowder is a cream and broth based soup that has substantial body as in it coats the back of a spoon very nicely. If you like the thicker version clam chowder, you can add additional butter and flour after the vegetables have been cooked to create more roux as a thickener.
Recipe by Cooking 4 One at https://www.cooking-4-one.com/2017/02/12/clam-chowder/