New England Clam Chowder

Name: New England Clam Chowder
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 2 dozen littleneck clams; 2 dozen cherrystone clams; 1 quart water; 2 garlic cloves, smashed; 2 bay leaves; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3-ounce piece salt pork; 1 celery stalk, diced; 1 onion, diced; Leaves from 10 sprigs fresh thyme; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup milk; Freshly ground black pepper; Dash of Tabasco sauce; 1/4 bunch fresh chives, minced

December 9, 2011

Good clam chowder starts with really good, fresh clams. It’s easy to find them if you live on the coast, but even if you’re landlocked in Ohio, you can ask the guy in the seafood department to order them. I use both cherrystones, which are large and meaty, plus smaller littlenecks, which are more delicate and should be cooked only briefly. I don’t care for bottled clam juice because of its high sodium content.

Recipe notes

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