New England Clam Chowder
Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
Preparation Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Ingredients
- 4 ounces salt lamb, rind removed and cut into 1/3 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (12 to 14 ounces)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/3 inch pieces (4 ounces)
- 5 -6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped (2 teaspoons)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 4 cups clam broth
- 8 lbs small quahogs or 8 lbs large cherrystone clams, diced clams from reserved from broth instructions
- 1 1/2-2 cups heavy cream
- fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, for garnish
Recipe
- 1 scrub the clams, and rinse clean.
- 2 bring 2 cups of water to a boil in an 8-quart stockpot over high heat.
- 3 add the clams, and cover tightly.
- 4 after 5 minutes, uncover, and stir the clams with a wooden spoon.
- 5 quickly cover the pot again, and let steam for 5 minutes more, or until most of the clams have opened.
- 6 don‘t wait for them all to open, or they will be overcooked.
- 7 it should only take a little tug or prying to open the stragglers once they are all removed from the heat.
- 8 the total cooking time for large cherrystones will be about 10 minutes; quahogs will need as much as 5 more minutes.
- 9 while the clams are steaming, the broth should become foamy and light.
- 10 it usually spills over a bit just as the clams are cooked and ready.
- 11 as soon as you remove the clams from the stove, carefully pour as much of the broth as you can into a tall, narrow container.
- 12 let the broth sit for 10 minutes, then carefully pour through a fine-mesh strainer.
- 13 after sitting, 99 percent of the grit will have collected at the bottom of the container.
- 14 if you are not using the broth within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible, and cover it after it has completely cooled.
- 15 keep refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- 16 remove the clams from their shells, cover, and refrigerate.
- 17 after they have cooled a bit, dice them into 1/2-inch pieces.
- 18 cover again, and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- 19 heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot over low heat and add the salt lamb.
- 20 once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the salt lamb is a crisp golden brown.
- 21 remove from pot; set aside.
- 22 add the butter, onions, garlic, celery, thyme, and bay leaves.
- 23 sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onions are softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
- 24 add the potatoes and the strained clam broth.
- 25 the broth should just barely cover the potatoes; if it doesn’t, add enough water to cover them.
- 26 increase the heat, and bring to a boil.
- 27 cover, and cook the potatoes vigorously until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center, about 10 minutes.
- 28 if the broth hasn’t thickened lightly, smash a few potatoes against the side of the pot, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to release the starch.
- 29 remove pot from the heat, and stir in the diced clams and the cream.
- 30 season to taste.
- 31 if you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has completely chilled.
- 32 otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
- 33 when ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don’t let it boil.
- 34 ladle into cups or bowls, making sure that the clams, potatoes, and onions are evenly divided.
- 35 sprinkle with parsley, chives, and reserved salt-lamb cracklings.
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