I have a recipe I want to share with you that I have made since the 1970s. Not too often, so my family considers it a real treat! I’m talking about clam chowder.
My recipe has evolved over the years and is now pretty simple and easy to prepare. If you like this particular soup, it is a treat to eat. It is a great meal by itself with a warm slice of sourdough bread or served in sourdough bread bowls.
I made some today and am looking forward to having a bowl with my family in a few hours.
You can make this chowder in a single pot, like a Dutch oven or you can use the instant pot. Either one, everything cooks in one pot.
Ingredients
• 5 pounds of potatoes — peeled and cubed
• ½ pound of bacon, small sliced
• ½ diced yellow onion
• 2-4 celery ribs, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 pounds of chopped canned clams, (Costco has these big cans)
• 1 box chicken broth
• 1-2 cups heavy cream
• 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch if needed at the end if thickening needed
Directions
Cook the diced bacon in the pot 2-4 minutes on medium heat or sauté setting. Add the diced onion, celery, and garlic. Stir and sauté for about 3-5 minutes. Add ¼ cup of flour, sprinkle over sautéing bacon mixture, stir well. Add two cups of chicken broth, stir and add the cubed potatoes.
Open clams and strain the liquid, pour clam liquid over potatoes. Use remaining chicken broth to cover the potatoes completely, if needed. Gently boil the potatoes until tender.
At this time, add the clams and stir well. Use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes (I like to leave it chunky, so I only mash them about five times).
Add 1-2 cups of heavy cream (your preference). Now if you want your chowder thicker, make a slurry of cornstarch (1-2 tablespoons) mixed with about ¼ cup cold water, add it to the chowder and simmer on low as it thickens.
I hope you enjoy this delicious clam chowder, try it in a sourdough bread bowl. It’s a real delight. Years ago, Marrone’s (the best Italian restaurant ever) used my recipe for their Friday soup de jour, clam chowder.