Pacific Northwest Razor Clam Chowder Recipes

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel, reserving drippings in the pot.
• Cook and stir potatoes, onion, and garlic in the hot bacon drippings until onions are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir flour into the potato mixture; cook together for about 1 minute. Add evaporated milk, heavy cream, liquid from clams, and bay leaf to the potato mixture; stir.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Add clams to the soup; cook until the clams are hot, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle bacon atop the soup. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Steps:

• On high heat in a 2-quart pot, melt the butter.
• Add the onion and garlic and saute' until lightly browned.
• Add the celery, potatoes, chicken stock and white wine.
• Cook until potatoes are done, then add leeks and cream.
• Continue to add herbs, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
• Let simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the razor clam meat.
• Simmer for 15 more minutes and serve.
• Serve with crusty French bread and more white wine!

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy casserole. Add the bacon and saute until crisp. Add the leek, onion and celery and saute until soft and barely golden.
• Stir in the seasonings, clam juice, clams, potatoes and white wine. Cook gently until the potatoes are tender.
• Add the light cream, salt and pepper. Thicken with equal parts flour and butter that have been mixed together.
• [Joan's note: Marranate tells me the chefs create a roux with the butter and flour. Without testing this recipe, I'm not sure how much roux you'll need, so you may as well make a lot. (It keeps well in the freezer, and you can use it to thicken other sauces and soups.).
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, melt 1 stick of butter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the butter while whisking the mixture. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture is smooth and a pale golden color.
• Add 3/4 of the roux to the soup and continue to cook until the soup thickens. Add the remaining roux if you need it, cooking the soup a bit after the final addition.