New England Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder. It’s warm and it’s sunny and mdw is only a week away so we’re all about the summer eats right now. Creamy clam chowder is one of our favorite summer beach dishes. Ours is a classic filled with potatoes, thick cut bacon, fresh clams, and lots of herbs. A little something to make Mondays feel a little better !!
Nothing like eating New England Clam Chowder at the beach when the weathers nice and warm with a big glass of white wine. Hopefully somewhere near the ocean and just getting the most relaxing vibes. Well even though we aren’t at the beach right now, we are trying to use this clam chowder as our transport to a beach paradise this Monday.
Our clam chowder recipe is one of our favorites for the summer. It’s simple but it’s just so good. It has all the classics of a new England clam chowder…the potatoes, the thick-cut bacon, the fresh clams, the herbs. It’s got the basics, but in a creamy clam chowder that’s really all you need. Sprinkled with a little fresh cracked black pepper and served with some oyster crackers…it’s seriously just the best.
So I am counting down the days until its time to go to the beach this weekend. We haven’t been in weeks because either the weather has been bad or we’ve been busy. So not only am I excited to get back to the beach, but I am also excited that its MDW.
MDW is always one of my favorite weekends because it’s basically the kick off to summer and it’s also my birthday. So it’s like a two in one. And we are getting the summer vibes going early of course with some New England clam chowder. So cheers and let the MDW count down begin !!
Ingredients
5 slices thick cut bacon; chopped
1/2 onion; chopped
3 celery stalks; chopped
1 large garlic clove; chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
2 - 3 dozen little neck clams; steamed open, cooking liquid reserved
3 cups clam juice
5 cans chopped clams; juice strained and reserved
4 red potatoes; chopped
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper
3 thyme sprig leaves
2 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
oyster crackers for serving
Directions
In a large stock pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the butter and flour. Mix together. Start adding the bottle clam juice very slowly. It will be very thick. The trick is to add slowly to start, a few tablespoons at a time. When it’s combined you can add quicker, stirring constantly. Add the reserved canned juice. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper to taste.
Bring to boil and reduce heat stirring frequently. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add the reserved canned clams and steamed clams. Add any clam juice from steamed clams. Add the heavy cream and parsley. Stir together keeping warm. Add the reserved clam cooking liquid if the soup is too thick.
Serve topped with additional parsley, green onions, and oyster crackers.
