Name: Clam chowder
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1½ kg clams or a mixture of clams and cockles -; 50g butter -; 150g unsmoked bacon lardons, cubed pancetta or chopped streaky bacon -; 1 onion , finely chopped -; sprig of thyme -; 1 bay leaf -; 1 tbsp plain flour -; 150ml milk -; 150ml double cream -; 2 medium potatoes – about 250 grams, cut into cubes -; chopped parsley and crusty bread to serve -

Recipe information

Cooking:

10 min.

Servings per container:

Source:

More details

Ingredients for - Clam chowder

1. 1½ kg clams or a mixture of clams and cockles -

2. 50g butter -

3. 150g unsmoked bacon lardons, cubed pancetta or chopped streaky bacon -

4. 1 onion , finely chopped -

5. sprig of thyme -

6. 1 bay leaf -

7. 1 tbsp plain flour -

8. 150ml milk -

9. 150ml double cream -

10. 2 medium potatoes – about 250 grams, cut into cubes -

11. chopped parsley and crusty bread to serve -

How to cook deliciously - Clam chowder

1. Stage

Rinse the clams in several changes of cold water and drain well. Tip the clams into a large pan with 500ml of water. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins until the clams have just opened. Tip the contents of the pan into a colander over a bowl to catch the clam stock. When cool enough to handle, remove the clams from their shells – reserving a handful of empty shells for presentation if you want. Strain the clam stock into a jug, leaving any grit in the bottom of the bowl. You should have around 800ml stock.

2. Stage

Heat the butter in the same pan and sizzle the bacon for 3-4 mins until it starts to brown. Stir in the onion, thyme and bay and cook everything gently for 10 mins until the onion is soft and golden. Scatter over the flour and stir in to make a sandy paste, cook for 2 mins more, then gradually stir in the clam stock then the milk and the cream.

3. Stage

Throw in the potatoes, bring everything to a simmer and leave to bubble away gently for 10 mins or until the potatoes are cooked. Use a fork to crush a few of the potato chunks against the side of the pan to help thicken – you still want lots of defined chunks though. Stir through the clam meat and the few clam shells, if you've gone down that route, and simmer for a minute to reheat. Season with plenty of black pepper and a little salt, if needed, then stir through the parsley just before ladling into bowls or hollowed-out crusty rolls.