Jan 28, 2016

Throwback Thursday you say? I say that's a good time for a recipe!  Especially if it's another excellent old-school recipe, this time for New England Clam Chowder.  (Pretty sure, by the way, I'm going to throw recipes into the back of the book, so it's a good gift for anybody who likes to cook, huh?)

In "Women Like Us", Susan's introduction to the culinary world comes when she lands a job in an old Clam shack on Martha's Vineyard, which is where she meets Henry's father Andrew, who's the son of Edith Vale. She's starts as a waitress but when the old cook drops dead, she's put in charge of the small kitchen, where one of the most important jobs is making the Clam Chowder.  This recipe, which I've always loved, is another one adapted from Julia Child's "The Way To Cook". Again, it's a Julia recipe that harkens back to her New England roots and is not in any way French.  Anyway, here ya go:

New England Clam Chowder

(Recipe adapted from Julia Child's "The Way To Cook")

1 1/2 pounds littleneck clams

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup good smoked bacon, cut into thin slices

1 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 cups onions, sliced

1 Bay leaf

1/2 cup crushed oyster crackers

2 cups liquid (clam steaming juices and some water)

2 small or 1 large russet potato, diced (about 2 cups)

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup whole milk

More Oyster crackers for serving

Chopped chives or parsley for serving

1)  Wash the clams well and place in a large kettle with a tight fitting lid.  Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover the kettle, and let clams steam a couple of minutes, just until most of them start to open. Remove open clams and steam the rest 2 minutes longer, then discard any unopened clams.  Remove the meats to a bowl.  Pour the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel into a 2 cup liquid measure. Add water to make two cups if you need.  Set aside.

2)  In a large soup pot, melt butter and toss in sliced bacon. Cook bacon over medium heat until it just starts to crisp, and then toss in onions. Add bay leaf. Cover, lower heat and cook slowly about 10 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.  Toss in crushed oyster crackers. Mix in well, then add in the 2 cups clam steaming liquid. Add potatoes. Liquid should just cover potatoes, so add a little water if you need. Bring to the boil and then simmer, loosely covered, for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Blend in milk, bring to simmer again and taste for seasoning.

3) Roughly chop the clams.  Fold them into the chowder and remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped chives or parsley and serve with more oyster crackers on the side.

Serves 3-4

Here's the final product!