Got a hankering for some creamy, smokey, rich and hearty clam chowder?
This recipe is for you!
- 2 dozen cherrystone clams (can use canned clams)
- 4 cups chicken stock (or other stock)
- 1 cup clam water (reserved from fresh clams)
- 2-3 strips naturally-smoked bacon
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 3-4 celery stalks, diced
- 4 medium sized yukon gold potatoes, diced
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 - 1 &1/2 tsp. sea salt
- Black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup grass-fed cream or milk
- 2 tbsp. butter + 2tbsp. flour (optional)
- Parsley
- In a large pot, place the clams plus a couple of cups of fresh water.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- As the clams open up, pull them out of the pot immediately and set aside.
- All of the clams should open up within 5-7 minutes.
- If after 10 minutes you still have unopened clams, discard them.
- Pour the clams cooking water through a sieve with a cheese cloth to catch any grit or sand.
- Reserve the briny clam water for the soup.
- If using canned clams omit the steps above.
- In a soup pot, cook the bacon until crispy.
- Remove the bacon strips and set aside.
- Cook the onions in the bacon fat, on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Add celery and potatoes and continue cooking 5-7 minutes.
- Add chicken stock, reserved clam water, thyme, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and bay leaves.
- Cook 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
- With a slotted spoon remove half of the vegetables and puree in a food processor (make sure you do NOT puree the bay leaves).
- Add pureed veggies back into the soup pot.
- Pull the cooked clams from their shells and chop into smaller pieces and discard clam shells.
- Add the clams (or canned clams) into the soup pot with cream. Do NOT bring the soup back up to a boil.
- If you like a thicker chowder, in separate pot sauté the butter and flour and then add to the chowder.
- Garnish with chopped bacon and parsley.
- Enjoy!
Andrea Beaman is an internationally renowned Holistic Health Coach, Natural Foods Chef, Speaker, Herbalist and best-selling author. Named one of the top 100 Most Influential Health and Fitness Experts, she is also a recipient of the Natural Gourmet Institute’s Award for Excellence in Health-Supportive Education and a Health Leadership award from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Since 1999, Andrea has been teaching people how to harness the body’s own preventative and healing powers using food, herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
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