For our honeymoon, Jeremiah and I drove down the Northern Pacific coast, covering Washington, Oregon and Northern California. We ended that part of our honeymoon in Monterey where we found ourselves on the Fisherman’s Wharf eating the best clam chowder ever.
Ever since then I have been on a mission to make a really spectacular clam chowder.
The best I have ever made was for Christmas with fresh clams that my sister and her husband had gone out and dug up the day before. Since I have lived in a landlocked state for most of our marriage I usually just use canned clams, but the fresh ones are most definitely a must if you want the best chowder, but this is still pretty good and this is actually my own recipe, I think I gleaned parts from about 5 different recipes all together.
Ingredients
5 pieces bacon
1 whole medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
6 large yukon gold potatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 generous tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 cups milk, 2% or whole
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup flour
2 cans whole baby clams, or if you can find fresh clams use those
1 stick butter
Preparation Instructions
1. In a stock pot or large enameled cast iron dutch oven, cook bacon over medium high heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove bacon and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the celery, onion and worcestershire sauce bring the heat back up to medium. Cook until just softened then add the potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the bay leaves, thyme, old bay and salt.
4. Drain the juice from the clams into the pot, then add enough chicken broth to cover the potatoes, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
5. Add the milk and heavy cream. In a small bowl combine the flour with just enough water to make a runny paste. Pour the flour paste into the soup and stir. Heat and stir until thick and bubbly.
6. Add the clams and season with freshly ground black pepper.
7. Remove from heat and add the butter and stir until melted.
8. Dice the reserved bacon.
9. Serve with fresh bread or in bread bowls topped with the diced bacon.
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