It turned out great! I shared it with my neighbours, who enjoyed it as
much as I did.
New England Clam Chowder
Chef Paul Prudhomme, _Seasoned America_
Makes 12 main-course servings
or 16 first-course servings
There is probably no other dish native to New England about which New
Englanders disagree more. No one is certain who first came up with the
idea of cooking seafood in milk, but it seems likely that the
combination arrived in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century with
settlers from Old England. There always has been debate about how to
properly thicken a clam chowder, and we agree with those who refuse to
use flour, since it tends to neutralize the pungency of the clams. Our
recipe depends on both diced and grated potatoes, which not only
thicken the soup naturally but add a flavor of potato to every
mouthful, complementing the clams perfectly.
SEASONING MIX
1 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/4teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 pound salt pork, diced (see Note)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups clam liquid (can be bottled clam juice), in all
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
4 cups milk
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
2 cups heavy cream
4 dozen shucked hard-shell clams, with their liquid
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt, optional (see Note)
Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Makes
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
Place the salt pork in a large heavy pot (not cast iron) over high
heat, cover, and cook until the pork is sticking hard to the bottom of
the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the grated potatoes, the onions, bell
peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning
mix. Scrape the bottom of.the pot well, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add
3 cups of the clam juice, scrape the pot bottom clean, and cook,
scraping the bottom of the pot often, about 13 minutes. Stir in the
remaining 1 cup clam juice, scrape the crust from the bottom of the
pot, and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook,
scraping the pot bottom occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the
remaining seasoning mix and cook, whisking constantly to break up the
potatoes and release their starch to thicken the chowder, 4 minutes.
Stir in the milk and bring just to the boiling point, then add the
diced potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and
cook, uncovered, scraping often, until the potatoes are tender, about
20 minutes. Watch the pot closely: If the soup begins to bubble too
much, reduce the heat, so the milk won't curdle. Add the remaining 3
tablespoons butter and the heavy cream and whip with the whisk. Scrape
the bottom of the pot, stir, turn up the heat a bit, and cook just
until the soup begins to bubble gently. Add the clams, cook 1 to 2
minutes, and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and salt, if
necessary. Makes about 16 cups.
Serve the chowder in deep soup bowls with crusty bread.
NOTE: Salt pushes the flavors of the other seasonings in this dish.
Because salt pork differs depending on where it's processed, yours may
be saltier or less salty than ours. If it comes thickly encrusted with
salt, rinse some of it off and pat dry before dicing. Taste the chowder
at the end, and, if necessary, add salt cautiously until the flavor is
just right.
Derek's notes:
I added 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and 1 teaspoon dried Aleppo red
pepper flakes to seasoning mix. I used bacon instead of salt pork,
sauteeing the onion/celery/bell pepper in some of the bacon fat. I
used grated Russet potato, and diced Yukon Gold potato. I used canned
clams instead of live.
Derek Juhl