What a treat it is to have this decadent, delicious treat. Â Probably not an everyday food due to its high calorie and fat content. Â I would say that if you want to give yourself a savory treat and your guests this is one for you. Â Subtle clam flavor accompanied by these great ingredients will provide you with a winning Clam Chowder.
The building of a great New England clam chowder
Some people describe the foods they cook and eat as layered flavors. Â This one fits that description. Â You have several ingredients that combine to give you this creamy, decadent clam-flavored treat.
In French cooking, the term “fond” or “foundation” is given to stocks. Â While we use the term stock a foundation is an appropriate term. We will take a clam stock and build a strong recipe from it. Â The flavors in the clam stock will primarily serve as the agent of flavoring in this dish. Â
 If the stock is the foundation, then the potatoes will act as a door into the building, and the celery and onions will act as the staircase.  Without the foundation, they are meaningless because there is nowhere to go.  The cream provides the elevator, and the clams are the penthouse. Â
They all have a unique function that complements each other. Â In and among themselves, they each are distinct and unique. Â Together, they combine for the final build in your bowl, Classic New England Clam Chowder.
Different types of clams
Clams come in many sizes. We use some littleneck clams for this recipe. Â We washed them and simmered them to extract the flavor. Â We used the stock that resulted from cooking the clams, which served as the foundation for this soup. Â You could buy clam broth and buy clams in a can as well. Â However fresh is always best is a saying. Â This doesn’t mean canned or jarred isn’t good; these will also make an excellent chowder.
Clams can be frozen or canned if you’re unable to obtain fresh ones. Â In its fresh form, you can choose between chopped or whole shucked. Â The types of clams are a great variety. Â Usually, for a chowder, you will use an ocean clam or a quahog; these tend to be larger and can be chopped. Â There is less belly, which makes it more desirable in a chowder.
There is an excellent resource available at the Washington State Department of Health that features images of clams and illustrates their differences.  It describes where they may be located.  The variety is staggering on the East Coast; there are cherrystones, littlenecks, quahogs, razor clams, softshell clams, and geoducks. The variety is immense.
Most importantly, you want to get the right clam for the job. Â Quohogs are suitable for stuffing because of their size, while sea clams are often cut into strips for fried clam strips. Â They can also be used in chopped clam for chowders or clam cakes in Rhode Island. Â Soft shell clams are often steamer clams that you find at a clam bake. Â Little necks and cherry stones you might find at a raw bar. Â Fried clams can be strips or whole belly clams, which are both different and yet both delicious in their way.
Healthier variations
If you wish to enjoy New England Clam Chowder on the reduced-fat or calorie scale, there are some options that you can take. Â The primary source of fat and calories comes from the cream and the butter in the roux. Â These would be two places where we could look to reduce the fat content, which in turn would reduce the calorie count.
If you eliminate the roux, which is the butter and flour, you need to find a means to thicken the chowder.  One of those means would be to use a cornstarch thickener.  The cornstarch can be made into a slurry (dissolve in cold liquid) then whisk into the stock and bring to a boil.  The cornstarch won’t thicken until it comes to a boil. However, you can’t boil milk; it will separate immediately on boiling into whey and liquid. It looks curdled.
Another way to thicken without using a roux is to use potato pearls (instant potatoes) or puree potatoes. Â These could also serve as an alternative to a gluten-free chowder option. Â If using potatoes to thicken, you would want to use potatoes with no skin. Â You would also need to adjust the amount of potatoes to achieve the desired consistency.
Another way to reduce fat and calories is to eliminate or minimize the use of cream. Â This recipe calls for 2 cups of heavy cream. Â You could substitute this with half-and-half or even milk. Â It is crucial to note that if you take these steps to make this healthier, you can’t boil milk. Â If you do, the milk will separate immediately and appear to have sand in it.
If you use milk, it is recommended to heat it in a microwave to 180°F or 190°F.  Stir this into your already thickened product. Don’t heat milk on the stove unless you are very careful not to let it boil.
If you remove these items, your chowder will still be flavorful, and your calories and fat will be significantly reduced.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
There is another option for chowder. Â This option is produced in a lighter mind frame. Â The cream is eliminated because Manhattan Clam Chowder uses a tomato product in place of the cream, and there is no roux added to thicken the chowder.
Manhattan clam is unheard of to eat if you are in the Northeast section of the country, New England, to be precise. Â It is as popular as the New York Yankees and Jets. Â If you need clarification, neither team of any New York sports franchise is well-liked, at all (being polite). Manhattan Clam Chowder falls into this same category in New England.
However, more and more, this is becoming a healthier alternative to a chowder. Â The clam stock is seasoned and given body by tomato product. Â The varieties are more prevalent in recipes than a standard New England Clam Chowder. Â In Boston, we would say “chowder,” and there isn’t another kind, New England Clam Chowder. Â Manhattan has potatoes, celery, and onions as well.
While many enjoy the lighter fare in a chowder that the Manhattan variety offers, it just isn’t the same as a nice, rich, creamy New England Clam Chowder.Â
New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups potato cooked, diced
- 1/2 cup onion spanish, small diced
- 1/2 cup celery small diced
- 1/2 cup bacon diced
- 2 cups cream heavy
- 6.25 oz roux 1/4 cup butter, 4 oz. flour
- 36 oz clam juice using 50 count littelneck clams or chowder clams to get stock, shell should be tightly closed, if not they shouldn't be purchased or used
- 1 T salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp thyme ground
Instructions
- cook bacon in the bottom of a stockpot until a little crispy
- as bacon is finishing add celery, onions to pot and cook until translucent or tender. 3 – 5 minutes, add thyme, salt, pepper
- dice potato and cook until tender on the side, reserve until the final combination of ingredients
- if using clams for stock in place of clam broth, wash clams thoroughly,
- place in bottom of a 2nd stockpot, cover with 48 oz. of water,
- bring to boil, reduce to simmer, simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, until all clam shells have opened
- save stock, strain into a bowl or stockpot, remove clam meat into another bowl. discard shells
- Chop clams
- return stock to a stockpot, bring to a boil, whisk in already cooked roux, reduce to temperature to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes
- add cream, stir to incorporate
- combine thickened stock with cream to sauteed bacon, celery and onions, clams
- stir, adjust seasonings, Enjoy
