Clam chowder – creamy New England clam soup Recipe
Clam chowder is a thick, hearty soup from the coast of New England, where winter winds can really cut to the bone. Americans treat it as a warming main-course soup, often served in seaside seafood bars. The flavor is reminiscent of a mix between creamy potato soup, delicate fish stock, and cream.
Clam chowder is the essence of New England coastal cooking – a thick, milky-cream soup where the briny flavor of clams meets the delicacy of potatoes and vegetables. Crispy bacon and thyme add character, making the soup both pleasantly “seafood-like” and comfortingly homely. It’s exactly the kind of dish served in steaming bowls in American seaside bars when an icy wind is blowing in from the ocean outside.
Chef's tips
Add the clams only at the end and don’t cook them for long, just heat them through – otherwise they will turn rubbery. Cut the potatoes into even cubes so they cook at the same time and don’t fall apart into the cream; it’s worth checking them with a fork after about 15 minutes. Pour the cream into slightly cooled soup and don’t bring it back to a boil so it doesn’t curdle and lose its velvety texture.
How to serve
Serve the chowder with thick slices of rustic bread or with small garlic croutons – they’re perfect for scooping up the thick cream from the bottom of the bowl. To drink, a light pale beer or a dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc, pairs well and highlights the flavor of the seafood. It’s an excellent soup for a cold, rainy afternoon after a long walk, when everyone is dreaming of something very warm and filling.
Ingredients
- clams cleaned, can be canned in their own brine - 400 g
- bacon cut into small cubes - 80 g
- potatoes peeled, cut into approx. 1 cm cubes - 300 g
- onion cut into small cubes - 1 piece
- celery stalks cut into small cubes - 2 stalks
- carrot cut into small cubes - 1 piece
- butter - 30 g
- wheat flour - 2 tablespoons
- vegetable stock or fish stock, preferably homemade - 600 ml
- 30% cream - 200 ml
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- thyme dried leaves - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- parsley chopped, for serving - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- If using fresh clams, clean them thoroughly, discard any with cracked shells, and cook them in a small amount of water until they open. Remove the meat from the shells and cut into smaller pieces, reserving the cooking liquid. If using canned clams, drain them and reserve the brine.
- In a large pot, fry the bacon over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until the fat renders and the pieces are lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add the butter to the pot, and when it melts, add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for 5–7 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns slightly translucent but not brown.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for about 1 minute, until it coats the vegetables well and thickens slightly.
- Gradually pour in the stock and the reserved clam cooking liquid or brine, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and potatoes.
- Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
- Add the cream, clams, and fried bacon. Heat over low heat for another 5 minutes, without bringing it to a strong boil so the cream does not curdle.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve the soup hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley, preferably with a slice of crusty bread.
Storage
Zupę przechowuj w lodówce, szybko schłodzoną, w szczelnym pojemniku. Podczas odgrzewania rób to na małym ogniu, nie dopuszczając do mocnego wrzenia, aby śmietanka się nie zwarzyła, a małże nie stały się gumowe.
