Wicked awesome clam chowdaah

PUBLISHED ON TASTESPOTTING!

What a fabulous stretch of weather we've had! Summer has just been eclipsed by autumn, so we still have sunny and warm days, but the mercury dips at night making it perfect weather for soups. Dan made a batch of his wicked awesome clam chowdaah last week. I still had some borage blossoms in the garden to garnish it with, along with some snips of chives and crushed pink peppercorns. He uses a great clam chowder recipe that we found in Saveur Magazine years ago. The crispy salt pork cracklins that we sprinkle on top really add nice flavor.

 


Clam chowder (from Saveur Magazine)

5 dozen littleneck clams or 4 1⁄2 dozen steamer clams
1⁄4 lb. salt pork, diced
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced
3 tbsp. flour
3 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 3⁄4" cubes
3 cups milk
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. butter
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Scrub clams under cold running water to remove grit and sand. Discard any that don't close when tapped. Place clams in a large pot with 3 cups cold water. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and steam until shells open; check frequently and remove clams with tongs as they open, allowing up to 5 minutes for littlenecks and about 1 minute for steamers. Discard any that don't open. Pour cooking liquid through a fine sieve and set aside.

Cook salt pork in a large pot over medium-low heat until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove meat, drain on paper towels, and set aside to use as garnish. Add onions to rendered fat and cook over low heat until translucent, about 20 minutes.

Remove clams from shells. If using steamers, cut off and discard necks (the black part). Coarsely chop clams, cover, and set aside.

Add flour to onions, stir for 1 minute, then add potatoes, reserved clam cooking liquid, and enough water to cover. Increase heat to medium, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Add clams, milk, and cream to pot. Simmer (do not boil) until just heated through, about 5 minutes. (Clams will be rubbery if overcooked.) Stir in butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with reserved salt pork. (I also add chopped chives and crushed pink peppercorns.