Clam Chowder
A classic American cream soup with tender clams, bacon, and potatoes. Thick, hearty, and absolutely comforting—a soup that warms you up in any weather.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Clams
- 50 g Butter
- 150 g Bacon
- 1 pcs Onion
- 3 pcs Thyme
- 1 pcs Bay leaf
- 1 tbsp Wheat flour
- 150 ml Milk
- 150 ml Heavy cream (35% fat)
- 2 pcs Potatoes
- 1 bunch Parsley
- to taste Black pepper
- to taste Salt
Instructions
- Rinse the clams thoroughly under cold running water several times. Place them in a large pot, add 500 ml of water, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes until the shells open completely. Pour the contents of the pot through a colander set over a bowl to collect the broth. Let cool, then remove the clams from their shells (reserve a few empty shells for presentation if desired). Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a measuring cup, leaving any sand at the bottom of the bowl. You should have approximately 800 ml of broth.
- In the same pot, melt the butter and sauté the diced bacon for 3–4 minutes until lightly golden. Add the diced onion, sprigs of thyme, and bay leaf, and cook everything together over medium heat for 10 minutes until the onion becomes soft and golden.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stir well until it resembles breadcrumbs, and cook for another 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the clam broth, then the milk and heavy cream, stirring constantly.
- Dice the potatoes into cubes and add them to the soup. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Lightly mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot with a fork to thicken the soup (it should retain visible potato pieces). Add the clam meat and empty shells if you reserved them, and heat the soup for another minute. Season with black pepper and salt to taste, and finish with chopped fresh parsley.