Clam soup or clam chowder
This is one of the most famous soups in the United States. Clam Chowder, or clam soup, is the soup with the most versions, from the west coast in New England to San Francisco on the east coast.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of clams
- 1/2 cup of white wine
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 thick slices of bacon
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 leek
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce or hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of De la Vera paprika
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 250 ml of chicken or beef broth (yes, I know, the logical choice would be fish broth, but it tastes much better this way)
- 600 ml of heavy cream
- 250 ml of the broth from cooking the clams
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
- 200 ml of water
Preparation
Cook the clams with the water, bay leaf, and white wine, cover, and let the clams open. When ready, strain and set aside.
Remove the clams from their shells and chop the clam meat. Set aside.
Chop the vegetables and bacon into small cubes and set aside.
Fry the chopped bacon cubes until browned, drain off the excess oil, and set aside.
In the same pot with the bacon fat, add the butter and sauté the garlic with the onion. When the onion is soft, add the leek, parsley, salt, oregano, thyme, and paprika. Stir a few times, then add the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.
Sauté for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the pot, add the flour, stir well, then incorporate the beef broth, clam broth, cream, and potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Now add the chopped clams, and after a few minutes, you can serve it with crispy bacon and a bit more chopped parsley.
For the puff pastry topping, serve the soup in an oven-safe bowl. Cover the soup-filled bowl with puff pastry and make a few cuts in the center to let it breathe. Bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
