New England Summer Clam Chowder
By Geoffrey Zakarian
New England Summer Clam Chowder
By Geoffrey Zakarian
Yield/Serves:
Makes 8 to 12 servings
- 34 cherrystone clams, rinsed thoroughly
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 4 Large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and medium dice
- 1 cup white wine
- ¾ cup fresh corn kernels
- ¾ cup zucchini, seeded and small dice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 8 sprigs thyme
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Smoked paprika, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
Rinse clams in an XL Large Pro For Home Container Basket to rid of dirt and grit.
Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed clams and cover with water. Be careful of splashing. Cover with lid, raise the heat to high and continue to cook until the clams have opened, about 8 to 14 minutes. Discard clams that do not open after 15 minutes. Pour the clams and cooking liquid into an XL Pro For Home Container with the basket. Carefully remove the basket with the clams leaving the cooking liquid behind and place the basket on the overturned lid to catch excess liquid. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh, coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove all grit.
Remove all the clams from the shells and reserve.
Rinse and wipe the large pot. Return it to the stove and add the butter over medium-low heat. Add the bacon, stirring occasionally until the fat has rendered and the bacon begins to brown. Use a spoon to remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the fat and butter behind. Set the cooked bacon aside.
Add the onion and celery to the pot with the fat and cook until tender, but not caramelized. Add the potatoes and white wine and cook until the wine has reduced almost entirely. Add the corn, zucchini and bay leaf with enough of the clam cooking liquid to cover everything. Cook over low heat until the potatoes are tender.
Roughly chop the clams and add them back to the pot with the bacon and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Add the fresh thyme and let the flavor infuse.
Remove from heat and cool. Reserve in an XL Pro For Home Container, without the basket. Reheat to a simmer, not a boil, when serving.
Upon serving, garnish with chopped parsley and smoked paprika.
Pro Tip: If buying shellfish ahead of time, place ice in an XL Pro For Home Container with the basket insert, place the shellfish on the ice bed and into the refrigerator. This will allow you to keep shellfish fresh, while being able to drain the water easily from the melted ice.
Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed clams and cover with water. Be careful of splashing. Cover with lid, raise the heat to high and continue to cook until the clams have opened, about 8 to 14 minutes. Discard clams that do not open after 15 minutes. Pour the clams and cooking liquid into an XL Pro For Home Container with the basket. Carefully remove the basket with the clams leaving the cooking liquid behind and place the basket on the overturned lid to catch excess liquid. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh, coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove all grit.
Remove all the clams from the shells and reserve.
Rinse and wipe the large pot. Return it to the stove and add the butter over medium-low heat. Add the bacon, stirring occasionally until the fat has rendered and the bacon begins to brown. Use a spoon to remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the fat and butter behind. Set the cooked bacon aside.
Add the onion and celery to the pot with the fat and cook until tender, but not caramelized. Add the potatoes and white wine and cook until the wine has reduced almost entirely. Add the corn, zucchini and bay leaf with enough of the clam cooking liquid to cover everything. Cook over low heat until the potatoes are tender.
Roughly chop the clams and add them back to the pot with the bacon and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Add the fresh thyme and let the flavor infuse.
Remove from heat and cool. Reserve in an XL Pro For Home Container, without the basket. Reheat to a simmer, not a boil, when serving.
Upon serving, garnish with chopped parsley and smoked paprika.
Pro Tip: If buying shellfish ahead of time, place ice in an XL Pro For Home Container with the basket insert, place the shellfish on the ice bed and into the refrigerator. This will allow you to keep shellfish fresh, while being able to drain the water easily from the melted ice.