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A spoonful of clam chowder.
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Fresh Clam Chowder

Fresh clam chowder with littleneck clams, potato, and cream.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword chowder, clam, clams, littleneck
Budget Splurge
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 36 minutes
Soaking time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 21 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 406kcal

Equipment

  • Firm brush for scrubbing clams
  • Steamer basket
  • Large stock pot
  • Mesh strainer
  • Non-Stick skillet

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds live littleneck clams in shells
  • 24 ounces bottled clam juice
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 large shallots finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2-3 large Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
  • cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Soak clams in cold water for 30 minutes. Pick the clams out of the water and discard the water the clams were soaking in. Rinse the clams again in cold water and scrub the shells with a firm brush.
  • Place a steamer basket in the bottom of a large stock pot and add a couple of inches of water. Heat until the water reaches a full boil. Dump the clams into the pot and immediately cover with a lid.
  • Steam the clams for at least three minutes and then open the lid. Pull out the clams whose shells have opened and place them on a shallow baking tray to cool. Leave the unopened clams in the steamer and put the lid back on.
  • Steam them for an additional two minutes then check again for opened shells. If the shells haven't opened after 7-8 minutes of steaming, discard those clams.
  • Line a mesh strainer with three layers of fine cheesecloth and pour the liquid from the pot through into a big bowl to catch any remaining grit. Repeat as necessary.
  • Pick the clams out of the shells, removing the large white muscle. Leave the clams whole or chop if desired. Set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet. Add the chopped shallots and garlic and cook on low heat until translucent. Set aside.
  • Peel and cube the potatoes. Pour the clam juice into the pot with the clam cooking liquid. Heat the clam juice until boiling, then add the potatoes to the pot. Cook the potatoes until tender but still intact. Add the cream.
  • Re-heat the butter and shallots until the butter is bubbling. Sprinkle the flour onto the bubbling butter and stir to mix. Cook the roux for two minutes without browning it.
  • Pour the roux into the pot with the chowder broth and stir until it thickens. Add the clams and the chopped parsley to the pot.
  • Continue cooking on low heat until the clams are heated through. Salt and pepper to taste and serve pippin hot with crusty buttered bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1040mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1219IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg