No-Holds-Barred Clam or Fish Chowder
Instructions:
A top-notch New-England–style chowder (for Manhattan
style, see the variations), even better with a cup or so
of fresh corn kernels added along with the fish.
4 to 6 slices good bacon (about 1/4 pound),
chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups peeled and roughly chopped waxy or
all-purpose potatoes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
thyme
2 cups fish or chicken stock, augmented by as much
juice as you can salvage when shucking the clams
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 cup cream or half-and-half or more milk
24 littleneck or other hard-shell clams, shucked;
about 1 pint shucked clams, cut up if very large,
with their juice; or about 2 cups diced or chunked
fresh delicate white fish, like cod
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
- Cook the bacon in a large, deep pot over mediumhigh heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and cook the onion, potatoes, and thyme in the bacon fat until the onion softens, 10 minutes.
- Add the stock and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. (At this point, you may refrigerate the soup, covered, for up to 2 days; reheat before proceeding.)
- Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, then add the milk and cream. Add the clams or fish and bring barely to a simmer over low heat, taking care not to let the soup boil.
- If you’re using the butter, float it on top of the chowder; simmer for another 5 minutes or so, then garnish and serve.
- Lower-Fat Clam Chowder.
- Substitute 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for the bacon. Add another cup chopped potatoes and use 4 cups fish or chicken stock. Add 2 cups corn kernels, preferably fresh, with the clams. Use 1 cup low-fat milk and omit the cream. For Step 1, cook the onion and potato in the olive oil.
- Manhattan Clam Chowder.
- Substitute 1 cup each chopped carrot and celery for the potatoes and one 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes (you can use fresh, of course—3 cups or so), chopped, for the milk and cream. Add the tomatoes with the stock.