Clams in Sweet Chowder
Ingredients
- 3 lbs steamer clams
- ½ lb baby potatoes
- salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 shallots (sliced thin)
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ stick unsalted butter
- Juice of one lemon
- Fresh chopped dill
- Fresh chopped parsley
Directions
- Scrub the outside of the clam shells under cool, running water to remove any sand and grit
- Discard broken clams. When shells break, it's a sign that the clam could be dead and contain bacteria
- Add clams to a large pot with 2 cup water, cover and cook over high heat until clams have opened up. About 5 minutes
- Drain and let cool to room temperature
- Using a knife, shuck the clams – reserving the meat and discarding any clams that did not open
- Wipe out the pot and add the potatoes
- Cover with water and season with salt
- Bring to a rolling boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender. About 10 minutes
- Return the pot to medium heat and add olive oil and shallots
- Cook, stirring frequently, until deeply caramelized adding a little more olive oil if needed. About 20 minutes
- Add the potatoes, cream, milk, and butter to the pot of shallots and bring to a gentle simmer
- Add the clams and cook for just a couple minutes until they're heated through
- Squeeze in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper
- Serve garnished with fresh dill and parsley and enjoy!
I don’t think there’s anything more comforting than this sweet chowder on a cozy fall or winter day. Prepping and steaming the clams is simple and the caramelized shallots bring a beautiful, sweet flavor to this chowder.
When buying clams, be sure to place them in a bowl and cover it with a damp towel until you’re ready to steam. Remember that the clams are alive and keeping them in plastic or wrapped tight could cause them to suffocate. It’s always best to use them the same day you buy them, but they will last in the fridge up to two days at most.
Steam the Clams
Once you’re ready to steam the clams, go through and discard any that have broken shells. Give them a good scrub under cold, running water to remove any grit. Gently place them in a dutch oven or pot with water over medium-high heat and cover to steam. There’s no need to purge them for this recipe. It should only take about five minutes before the clams open up and are ready to remove from the heat. Toss out any clams that didn’t open – this is a sign that the clam is deceased and could contain bacteria. Drain the clams, let cool to room temperature and then remove the meat from the shells and set aside. If your clams are pretty big, go ahead and give half of them a rough chop so you can get clam in every bite.
Make the Chowder
Wipe out the bot and then boil the baby potatoes until they’re fork tender. Set the potatoes aside and caramelize the shallots in olive oil until they’re a deep golden brown – this will take about twenty minutes. Add the potatoes back to the pot and stir in the cream, milk and butter. Once combined, stir in clams until just heated through, add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, dill, more lemon and enjoy!