Sam’s Seafood Grill New England Clam Chowder

sam's seafood grill

©1988

AuthorDartagnan
DifficultyIntermediate

"New England Chowder the way it should be."

Share
Yields1 Serving
Prep Time30 minsCook Time30 minsTotal Time1 hr
 1 can, minced clams, drained and reserved juice
 2 cans, chopped clams, drained and reserved juice
 1 cup dry white wine, divided in half
 3 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled, diced on large, 1/2" cubes
 4 oz pancetta, diced small
 ¾ cup unsalted butter, divided
 2 tbsp shallots, diced fine
 2 cloves garlic, mashed
  cup flour
 16 oz half & half
 ½ can cream of celery soup
 2 tsp brandy or cognac
 1 ½ tsp sea salt
 2 pinches pink peppercorns
 2 pinches cayenne pepper
 1 cup whole milk
 Sour Dough Crotons
1

With clams drained and juice reserved, place clams in 1/2 cup of the white wine, put in fridge to rest.

2

Place potatoes in saucepan and cover with water, cook on medium heat for a 5 minutes, they should appear under done.

3

Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

4

In a 6" skillet cook pancetta until crispy, remove pancetta keeping scant amount of fat in skillet.

5

In your skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the pancetta fat, add diced shallots and garlic, cook only until onions are opaque.

6

Next deglaze shallots with 1/2 cup of white wine, reduce by 2/3. Remove garlic and discard.

7

In a soup pot heated; melt the rest of the butter, transfer shallots to soup pot, add flour to butter and shallots over medium heat and stir not to burn.

8

Mixture will start to thicken.

9

Add half and half a little at a time while stirring or whisking constantly.

10

Stir in cream of celery soup until incorporated.

11

Mixture will thicken.

12

Add a desired amount of the clam juice (usually about a third).

13

Place salt, pink pepper, cayenne, with clams in wine, in the soup pot.

14

Add potatoes and milk with mixture.

15

On medium low temperature bring chowder to a simmer.

16

Turn temperature down to low and let chowder simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

17

If too thick, add more of the clam juice or water; a small amount at a time to desired thickness.

18

Let rest covered briefly before serving.

19

Garnish with a few drops of Congac

20

Top with the Pancetta.

21

Top with scant amount of chives or fine diced parsley.

Ingredients

 1 can, minced clams, drained and reserved juice
 2 cans, chopped clams, drained and reserved juice
 1 cup dry white wine, divided in half
 3 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled, diced on large, 1/2" cubes
 4 oz pancetta, diced small
 ¾ cup unsalted butter, divided
 2 tbsp shallots, diced fine
 2 cloves garlic, mashed
  cup flour
 16 oz half & half
 ½ can cream of celery soup
 2 tsp brandy or cognac
 1 ½ tsp sea salt
 2 pinches pink peppercorns
 2 pinches cayenne pepper
 1 cup whole milk
 Sour Dough Crotons

Directions

1

With clams drained and juice reserved, place clams in 1/2 cup of the white wine, put in fridge to rest.

2

Place potatoes in saucepan and cover with water, cook on medium heat for a 5 minutes, they should appear under done.

3

Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

4

In a 6" skillet cook pancetta until crispy, remove pancetta keeping scant amount of fat in skillet.

5

In your skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the pancetta fat, add diced shallots and garlic, cook only until onions are opaque.

6

Next deglaze shallots with 1/2 cup of white wine, reduce by 2/3. Remove garlic and discard.

7

In a soup pot heated; melt the rest of the butter, transfer shallots to soup pot, add flour to butter and shallots over medium heat and stir not to burn.

8

Mixture will start to thicken.

9

Add half and half a little at a time while stirring or whisking constantly.

10

Stir in cream of celery soup until incorporated.

11

Mixture will thicken.

12

Add a desired amount of the clam juice (usually about a third).

13

Place salt, pink pepper, cayenne, with clams in wine, in the soup pot.

14

Add potatoes and milk with mixture.

15

On medium low temperature bring chowder to a simmer.

16

Turn temperature down to low and let chowder simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

17

If too thick, add more of the clam juice or water; a small amount at a time to desired thickness.

18

Let rest covered briefly before serving.

19

Garnish with a few drops of Congac

20

Top with the Pancetta.

21

Top with scant amount of chives or fine diced parsley.

Notes

Sam’s Seafood Grill New England Clam Chowder