| New England Clam Chowder Recipe Click here for your FREE weekly newsletter! Bring the heart of New England into your home with affordable, high-quality New England prints. Visit our Art Gallery today! Click here for More Recipes! |
New England Clam Chowder
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer-friendly version of this recipe
Clam chowder is a New England tradition which, although there are
many variations, always includes milk or cream, onions, potatoes and
either salt pork or bacon. Although some make their chowder with soft
shelled clams, called “steamers”, in northern New England most use
larger clams, such as quahogs (“ko-hogs”) or cherry stones, which are
chopped.
Little neck clams also make fine chowder, and, like the larger quahogs
and cherry stones, if they are steamed open in a couple of cups of water,
the strained cooking liquid can be used in the chowder. Most good fish
stores have chopped clams in their liquid, often sold in one pound
containers, and I must admit I most frequently use these for clam
chowder since moving to central New Hampshire.
Most traditional recipes use heavy cream and butter, resulting in rich and
delicious chowders, but fine chowders are also made with milk which is
sometimes thickened with a small amount of flour to reach the thickness
of those made with cream. Authentic New England chowders are never
thick, however, with most relying on the starch from the potatoes to
slightly thicken the broth and milk or cream. The thick, pasty chowders
served in many restaurants are full of flour which masks the flavor of the
clams, and would never be served at a church supper in Maine or by any
self respecting Yankee cook.
I have been making more healthy chowders of late, using regular or low
fat milk and sometimes non fat half and half. This yields chowder with
thin liquid, but I have found that the taste of the clam broth and the clams
is more intense.
Feel free to use half and half or heavy cream in your preparation, and use
this recipe as a guide as you develop your own preferred recipe. The
steps are the same in all preparations: salt pork or bacon is browned,
onion is added and cooked until soft, and clam broth is added, along
with the potatoes, which are cooked until softened. When the potatoes
are done, milk or cream is added, along with the chopped clams. The
chowder is simmered until the clams are cooked, seasoning is corrected,
and the chowder is ready to be served.
6-8 small or 4 generous large servings:
Quahogs, cherrystone or littleneck clams sufficient to provide 2 pounds
of chopped clams (5-8 pounds clams in the shell provide 1 pound of meat
– consult your fish monger) or 2 pounds chopped clams with liquid.
1 ½ pound Yukon Gold or similar potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
4 ounces salt pork or smoke house bacon, trimmed of excess fat and diced
1 generous tablespoon of flour if cream is omitted
Clam liquid from packaged chopped clams, broth from cooked clams or
bottled clam juice, plus water to total 3 cups
1 cup milk or low fat milk (or use 2 cups milk, omitting cream below)
1 cup low fat half and half, half and half or heavy cream
Kosher or sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, thyme or chives for garnish (optional)
If using whole clams, cook clams in a large sauté pan in 1 ½ cups water
over high heat until clams open. Strain and reserve cooking liquid,
remove clams from shell and coarsely chop. If using packaged shelled
clams, strain clams, reserving liquid.
Heat a heavy pot over medium heat and add bacon or salt pork. Cook,
stirring until lightly browned. Add onion and cook, stirring until soft and
translucent. Add reserved clam liquid or bottled clam juice and water to
total 3 cups and increase heat to high. Add chopped potatoes and cook
until potatoes are just soft – they will break slightly and thicken the
broth. Mash a few against the side of the pot and stir to further thicken
the broth.
Add milk and low fat half and half or cream and chopped clams, lower
heat and simmer until clams are cooked (4-8 minutes, depending upon
the size of the chopped clams). Add salt and pepper to taste.
The chowder can be served immediately, but most feel that that the flavor
improves with sitting for 30-45 minutes off heat. Reheat over low heat
before serving; chowder should not boil after milk and cream are added.
Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with herbs, if using. Traditionally,
Westminster crackers or other “oyster crackers”, either toasted or plain,
accompany the chowder.
The chowder can also be cooled, covered and refrigerated overnight.
Reheat over low heat and do not let it boil.
Using this basic recipe, you will be able to choose your favorite
preparation. I often use only whole milk, stirring in 1 tablespoon of flour
when the onions are cooked to slightly thicken the milk. This thin
chowder lets the briny taste of the clams predominate, complimented by
New Hampshire smoke house bacon which I prefer to salt pork.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer-friendly version of this recipe
Clam chowder is a New England tradition which, although there are
many variations, always includes milk or cream, onions, potatoes and
either salt pork or bacon. Although some make their chowder with soft
shelled clams, called “steamers”, in northern New England most use
larger clams, such as quahogs (“ko-hogs”) or cherry stones, which are
chopped.
Little neck clams also make fine chowder, and, like the larger quahogs
and cherry stones, if they are steamed open in a couple of cups of water,
the strained cooking liquid can be used in the chowder. Most good fish
stores have chopped clams in their liquid, often sold in one pound
containers, and I must admit I most frequently use these for clam
chowder since moving to central New Hampshire.
Most traditional recipes use heavy cream and butter, resulting in rich and
delicious chowders, but fine chowders are also made with milk which is
sometimes thickened with a small amount of flour to reach the thickness
of those made with cream. Authentic New England chowders are never
thick, however, with most relying on the starch from the potatoes to
slightly thicken the broth and milk or cream. The thick, pasty chowders
served in many restaurants are full of flour which masks the flavor of the
clams, and would never be served at a church supper in Maine or by any
self respecting Yankee cook.
I have been making more healthy chowders of late, using regular or low
fat milk and sometimes non fat half and half. This yields chowder with
thin liquid, but I have found that the taste of the clam broth and the clams
is more intense.
Feel free to use half and half or heavy cream in your preparation, and use
this recipe as a guide as you develop your own preferred recipe. The
steps are the same in all preparations: salt pork or bacon is browned,
onion is added and cooked until soft, and clam broth is added, along
with the potatoes, which are cooked until softened. When the potatoes
are done, milk or cream is added, along with the chopped clams. The
chowder is simmered until the clams are cooked, seasoning is corrected,
and the chowder is ready to be served.
6-8 small or 4 generous large servings:
Quahogs, cherrystone or littleneck clams sufficient to provide 2 pounds
of chopped clams (5-8 pounds clams in the shell provide 1 pound of meat
– consult your fish monger) or 2 pounds chopped clams with liquid.
1 ½ pound Yukon Gold or similar potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
4 ounces salt pork or smoke house bacon, trimmed of excess fat and diced
1 generous tablespoon of flour if cream is omitted
Clam liquid from packaged chopped clams, broth from cooked clams or
bottled clam juice, plus water to total 3 cups
1 cup milk or low fat milk (or use 2 cups milk, omitting cream below)
1 cup low fat half and half, half and half or heavy cream
Kosher or sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, thyme or chives for garnish (optional)
If using whole clams, cook clams in a large sauté pan in 1 ½ cups water
over high heat until clams open. Strain and reserve cooking liquid,
remove clams from shell and coarsely chop. If using packaged shelled
clams, strain clams, reserving liquid.
Heat a heavy pot over medium heat and add bacon or salt pork. Cook,
stirring until lightly browned. Add onion and cook, stirring until soft and
translucent. Add reserved clam liquid or bottled clam juice and water to
total 3 cups and increase heat to high. Add chopped potatoes and cook
until potatoes are just soft – they will break slightly and thicken the
broth. Mash a few against the side of the pot and stir to further thicken
the broth.
Add milk and low fat half and half or cream and chopped clams, lower
heat and simmer until clams are cooked (4-8 minutes, depending upon
the size of the chopped clams). Add salt and pepper to taste.
The chowder can be served immediately, but most feel that that the flavor
improves with sitting for 30-45 minutes off heat. Reheat over low heat
before serving; chowder should not boil after milk and cream are added.
Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with herbs, if using. Traditionally,
Westminster crackers or other “oyster crackers”, either toasted or plain,
accompany the chowder.
The chowder can also be cooled, covered and refrigerated overnight.
Reheat over low heat and do not let it boil.
Using this basic recipe, you will be able to choose your favorite
preparation. I often use only whole milk, stirring in 1 tablespoon of flour
when the onions are cooked to slightly thicken the milk. This thin
chowder lets the briny taste of the clams predominate, complimented by
New Hampshire smoke house bacon which I prefer to salt pork.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
| The Heart of New England Celebrating the unique character & culture of Maine ~ New Hampshire ~ Vermont |
|
| Home ~ Life in New England ~ Recipes ~ Garden ~ Travel ~ B&B/Inns ~ Made in New England ~ Events ~ Marketplace ~ Site Map ~ About/Contact Us |
| ©The Heart of New England online magazine ...celebrating the unique character & culture of Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont! Contact| The Heart of New England HOME | Search Click Here to Get Your FREE Weekly Newsletter Today! |