New England Clam Chowder
"As a New Englander I can tell you this is the best Clam Chowder around! It's from The Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, Connecticut.
This is the original recipe.
In addition to the onion & celery I sometimes like to add 1/2 cup shredded carrots."
photo by Jonathan Melendez
- Ready In:
- 1hr 5mins
- Ingredients:
- 18
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 2 ounces bacon fat
- 2 ounces butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 stalks celery, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 shredded carrot (optional)
- 1⁄2 cup flour
- 1⁄2 cup instant mashed potatoes
- 4 chef potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 quart clam juice
- 3 cups chopped clams
- 1 1⁄2 cups half-and-half
- 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 drop Tabasco sauce
- 1⁄2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (garnish)
directions
- Melt butter and bacon fat in large pot.
- Sautee onion, celery garlic (and 1/2 cup shredded carrots, if using) until tender.
- Add seasonings (parsley, Tabasco, celery salt, thyme & bay).
- Add flour and instant mash potatoes.
- Turn off flame and stir until flour is no longer visible.
- Add the clam juice and stir.
- Turn flame back on to high and continue stirring (constantly) to avoid sticking.
- Bring to a boil.
- Add potatoes and stir.
- Cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add clams.
- Stir.
- Add cream.
- Stir.
- Simmer for 1/2 hour.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Questions & Replies
-
Are the instant potatoes used already prepared or in a box? Wondering what the prepared measurement would be. I have left over mashed that I would like to use. Thanks.
Reviews
-
i thought this was awesome! i didn't add the carrots but did add more garlic and celery salt. it tasted even better after sitting in the fridge overnight. i would recommend cooking it a day before you intend to eat it so the flavors have a chance to meld together. my honey ate most of the pot within 2 days and i made at least triple the recipe. -
Hands down the best homemade clam chowder I've ever had. Tastes just like restaurant style. It was super easy and all around perfect. -
Very pleased with the outcome,only changes I made where additional garlic & almost double the clam juice,probably about 55oz. I also tossed in 8 littlenecks for decorative effect when serving. Served with a Garden Fresh Salad, Native Corn & French Bread As a native New Englander this was The Cat's Meow..... -
It was ok, but not as good as my son makes. I was told after I made this that I'm not allowed to make clam chowder any more. I think it was almost too strong on clam flavor and we didn't care for the seasonings. I added extra half and half, bacon and dill and that helped. The instant mashed potatoes were a great way to thicken it though.
-
Pretty good, but...
see 14 more reviews
Tweaks
-
start with pearl onions and white wine, heavy cream and butter, need a little more thyme, and also add to the recipe black pepper, a little Worcestershire, sea salt to taste.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Carla C.
Netherlands
<p><br /> <br />My most used and favorite cookbook is the 1946 edition of Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking School handed down to me from my Mother. <br /> <br />My most favorite kitchen utensils are a set of Johnson & Wales knives given to me by my mother, a professional chef. <br /> <br />I enjoy traveling to exotic places, trying new foods and bringing home rare ingredients to expirement with. <br /> <br />I work fulltime as a lab technician for a local diagnostic center. In addition to that, during my free time I'm either at the gym, listening to music, tending to my herb garden and/or trying out new recipes & ideas in the kitchen. <br /> <br />I am a classically trained singer and musician, passionate about music. <br /> <br />My favourite thing to do is sit outside in my garden with my husband, a glass of wine, good food, music & a few good friends. <br /> <br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/World%20Tour/AnimatedHostChallengeBanner.gif alt= /> <img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/200_artistrichardneuman-art-prints_.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting /></p>
