Newest New England Ham Clam Chowder For The Family Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse the clams several times under cold running water. Transfer to a large pot and add 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and cook until the clams open, about 6 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; reserve the broth. Transfer the clams to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so they don't dry out.
• Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in the reserved clam broth, 1 1/2 cups water and the potato. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender and the soup thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop.
• Reduce the heat under the soup to medium low. Whisk in the half-and-half and warm through (do not boil). Remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped clams; season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the reserved bacon and chives.

Steps:

• In a soup pot, brown the bacon; set aside when crisp.
• Add chopped onion (add the butter if you don't have a lot of bacon grease--otherwise save the butter for *later*--as noted below); saute onion for 2-3 minutes, then add potatoes, saute a few more minutes.
• Add green pepper to the pot, saute for about 1 minute.
• Mix veggies, then add ham and about 1/3 of the clam juice (don't bother measuring, just make sure the potatoes are covered).
• Simmer until the potatoes are just starting to get soft (20 minutes?).
• Add another shot of clam juice and 1 1/2°C of cream (or milk); return to a low simmer.
• Add remainder of clam juice from the big can and reserved from smaller cans; bring to a simmer again, stirring the pot occasionally to prevent sticking.
• ****If you'd like to have a more "rich" chowder, add the butter now.****.
• Mix remaining cream/milk with cornstarch, add gradually to simmering pot until slightly thickened (not goopy, please).
• Add salt and pepper to taste along with pinch (or two) of parsley.
• Remove from heat and add the clams; stir. Allow to rest for two - three minutes.
• Crumble crisp bacon over top of soup; stir.
• Serve immediately along with some hearty home-made croutons (1/2 loaf of French bread, cubed & toasted) and grated Cheddar cheese.
• VARIATIONS: Skip the ham and add 1-2 cups sweet corn kernels.
• ***NOTE*** When the store has a special on peppers, I buy a bunch, clean them up and chop into preparation-size bits, then quick-freeze them on cookie sheets (one-layer deep), then pour them into one-gallon zipper bags to store in the freezer. I keep a smaller container in my kitchen freezer for ready-access (and doesn't take up so much space).

Steps:

• Place diced bacon in large saucepan with the butter. Cook on medium heat until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. When onions are translucent, stir in water, clam juice and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered until the liquid has reduced by half. Potatoes should be fork tender. Pour in half-and-half and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and add chopped clams just before serving, (otherwise clams will be tough). Garnish with crackers and chopped chives.

Steps:

• Drain clams and reserve juice. In a medium-sized skillet, cook bacon, stirring until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add butter and onion; cook until onion is softened. Pour in clam juice, add potatoes and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in clams, half-and-half, thyme, cayenne pepper to taste, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Heat through. Do not boil. Serve with oyster crackers.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat; cook and stir salt pork, celery, onion, and garlic in melted butter until softened, about 7 minutes. Add potatoes, clam juice, tarragon, celery salt, and bay leaves to the stockpot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and place a cover on the pot. Cook at a simmer until potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes.
• Stir clams into the soup and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream, dill, salt, and pepper; stir and cook another 7 minutes. Remove the pot from heat. Remove and discard bay leaves. Garnish with parsley to serve.

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 Tbsp. dripping from pan.
• Add yellow onions, celery and thyme to reserved bacon drippings; cook and stir 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Add potatoes, water and 2 Tbsp. bacon; stir. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer over medium-low heat 15 to 20 min. or just until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Microwave milk and cream cheese in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until milk is heated through. Whisk until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended. Add to potato mixture; stir.
• Stir in clams; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently. (Do not let chowder come to boil.) Remove pan from heat.
• Top with green onions and remaining bacon.

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot cook the bacon until crisp and the fat is rendered, remove and set aside.
• Add the onions and celery season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and crushed red pepper flakes, and cook until the vegetables are thoroughly wilted, about 3 minutes, being careful not to brown.
• Add the flour and cook an additional 3 minutes.
• Add clams with all the juice, and the potatoes and bring to a boil, simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the broth thickens slightly and the potatoes are very tender.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream add crush bacon and season with pepper and salt.
• Cover, and Stirring often.
• (If you like a thicker broth, mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.) Remove from the heat. (Do not allow to boil after adding the cream as it could break).
• Set aside for 1 hour, covered, to allow the flavors to marry. Place the pot over low heat, and slowly reheat, being careful not to bring to the boil. Serve hot, garnished chives.

Steps:

• Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
• Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.