Clam or Corn Chowder

By á-7859

Ingredients

• 4 lbs cherrystone clams, scrubbed (or 4 cans of creamed corn)
• 2 large red-skinned potatoes, peeled ad cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 slice lean bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup fat-free half and half
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Put the clams and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover and bring to boil over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until clams ope, another 5-10 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Save liquid in a measuring cups, approximately 3 cups.

Wipe out the pot.

Skip above step if making corn chowder.

Strain water through sieve and add back to pot or start with 3 cups of water added to pot. Add potatoes, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one-third of potatoes. Continue to cook the remaining potatoes, covered, until soft, approximately another 10 minutes.

Puree potatoes in batches in a blender until smooth and then return to pot.

Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook, stirring, about another 3 minutes.

Add the bacon mixture and the reserved potatoes back to soup. Cover and cook over low heat approximately 5 minutes.

(Meanwhile remove clams from shells and chop roughly.

Stir the clams or the creamed corn and the half-and-half into soup; remove from the heat, cover and set aside for 20-30 minutes.

Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and reheat.

Serve topped with slice of butter, parsley, chives, and paprika.