Mike's New England Clam Chowder & Homemade Croutons

Name: Mike's New England Clam Chowder & Homemade Croutons
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (28 oz) Can Baby Clams [reserve all juices]; 28 oz Chicken Broth; 1 Cup Heavy Cream; 1 1/2 Cups Celery [chopped with leaves]; 1 1/2 Cups White Onion [chopped]; 3 Cups Potatoes [peeled and chopped]; 2 Garlic Cloves [fine chop]; 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme; 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning; 1 tsp Crushed Saffron Threads; Salt & Black Pepper [to taste]; 2 Bay Leaves [pull leaves after simmer]; 2 tablespoons Butter; Fresh Parsley [as needed for garnish]; 1 Baguette Loaf [+ 2 tbs butter - dash garlic oil or powder - parsley]; 3 tablespoons AP Flour; 2 tbs Corn Starch & Water [for thickener - optional]

MMOBRIEN @cook_2891564

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Your guests won't be disappointed with this hot, tummy filling chowder! Congrats to my 8 year old culinary students for making this delicious, soothing soup! Your parents and siblings adored it!

MMOBRIEN @cook_2891564

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Your guests won't be disappointed with this hot, tummy filling chowder! Congrats to my 8 year old culinary students for making this delicious, soothing soup! Your parents and siblings adored it!

Saved

Ingredients

60 mins

4 servings

1 (28 oz)Can Baby Clams [reserve all juices]
28 ozChicken Broth
1 CupHeavy Cream
1 1/2 CupsCelery [chopped with leaves]
1 1/2 CupsWhite Onion [chopped]
3 CupsPotatoes [peeled and chopped]
2Garlic Cloves [fine chop]
1/2 tspDried Thyme
1/2 tspOld Bay Seasoning
1 tspCrushed Saffron Threads
Salt & Black Pepper [to taste]
2Bay Leaves [pull leaves after simmer]
2 tablespoonsButter
Fresh Parsley [as needed for garnish]
1Baguette Loaf [+ 2 tbs butter - dash garlic oil or powder - parsley]
3 tablespoonsAP Flour
2 tbsCorn Starch & Water [for thickener - optional]

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Steps

60 mins

1

Here's what you'll need. Flour and Saffron not pictured.
2

Fine chop your vegetables. Add butter, onions, celery, garlic, thyme, black pepper, salt, bay leaves and Old Bay to your pot. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are slightly translucent. Stir regularly. You don't want to burn your garlic.
3

Add your flour and stir well and often for 5 minutes. You're burning out that flour taste.
4

Drain your clams and reserve all fluids. Set clams to the side.
5

Add all fluids to your pot.
Peel and chop potatoes into 1/2" cubes. Place them in pot. You're peeling and chopping your potatoes last since they will brown unless soaked in water.
6

Simmer for 20 minutes or, until your potatoes have softened.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
7

At this point you'll have the option to thicken your chowder. You'll do it at this point exactly since as the potatoes soften, they will thicken the broth.
To thicken: Add 2 tablespoons Corn Starch to 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and mix well. Slowly add your starch mixture and allow pot to simmer back up. It'll thicken up quickly. Add additional starch to thicken more. I usually add the full 2 tablespoons but it's your call.
8

Add your clams, stir and simmer 1 minute. No longer or you'll have extremely chewy clams.
Pull pot from heat source and cover.
9

For the croutons:
Slice baguette bread into 1" cubes.
Add 2 tablespoons butter and a dash of garlic oil or, couple dashes of garlic powder a pan and heat.
Place croutons in heated butter. Fry for 3 minutes or, until crispy and coated.
Fine chop parsley and add to pan. Mix quickly and well.
Drain croutons on paper towels. Serve immediately.
10
11
12
13
14

Garnish bowl with fresh parsley and place your croutons on top. Enjoy!
15

Feel free to garnish with fresh clams as well. Just steam clams in a slight amount of water until they open. Discard any that don't open.

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Cooksnaps

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MMOBRIEN @cook_2891564

on December 18, 2015 21:43

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

I'm a Certified Sushi Chef, Certified Culinary Youth Instructor [6 thru 21 year olds] Licensed CYFD Foster Parent, Certified Mixologist, avid Scuba and Spear Diver, fisherman, camper, big game hunter and crazy avid gardener. Hense my love for the year round super fresh meats, seafoods and crispy fresh vegetables my students have consistently listed for your families picky approval!With that, cooking, teaching and feeding others are obviously 3 of my absolute passions in life. My culinary specialties as an easy going Chef include Asian, Mexican, Cajun, BBQing, Grilling, Irish Pub food, Low Country foods, anything seafood related, extra spicy foods, fresh meat, extra fresh vegetables, US comfort, kid friendly and super fast, quick and easy foods. But, I'll literally put anything in my mouth at least once. Pfft! My daddy didn't nickname me, "Goat," at two years of age for nothin'! Yup! I'll literally put anything in my mouth at least once!P.S. Most ALL of my recipes posted on this site were soley submitted by my youngest 6, 7 and 8 year old culinary students. Mostly recipes for the homeless and battered women's shelters they regularly cook for. That means ANYONE can make these super easy, crazy delicious recipes!Lastly, my only culinary motto? Be sure to marry a Cook or a Chef. After all, looks fade. Hunger sure as hell doesn't." Anyway, hit me up with any questions. I'm happy to help all y'all out if I possibly can!