California Clam Chowder Recipes

CALIFORNIA CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a stockpot, over a medium flame. Add onions and half of the celery heat and stir for 5-6 minutes. Whisk in flour, heat and stir for 5 minutes, until blonde. Stir in clam juice, heat and stir until thickened. Add remaining celery, bell peppers, carrots, clams in juice, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add potatoes, thyme, and oregano, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half and half or milk. Season to taste with salt and white pepper serve hot.

BEST HOMEMADE CALIFORNIA CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain clams and reserve clam juice. Slice bacon and cook in pan on medium heat until just done. Remove bacon and half of bacon grease.
• Chop potatoes, celery, onion and garlic. Add chopped potatoes to (bacon) pan and cook on medium heat until potatoes are just tender...about 15 minutes.
• Pour removed half of bacon grease into large soup pot and saute onion, garlic and celery, until translucent, about 10 minutes.
• On low heat in small pot, melt the butter then add the flour slowly and with a high heat spatula and stir until smooth to create the roux.
• Stir in flour roux, the half and half, the clam juice, salt and pepper to the vegetables in the large soup pot. Stir well. Add clams and bacon. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

SANTA BARBARA CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a small pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, slowly mix in the flour until you have a thick consistency. Set aside and keep warm until ready to use. This is the roux.
• In a 3-gallon stock pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic, celery, and onions along with the bay leaves, salt, and white pepper. Cook the mixture until it is lightly browned, stirring it occasionally. Add the clam juice, stir, and let it cook until it is moderately warm. Then add the potatoes and bring the chowder to a boil, stirring it occasionally. Once the soup is boiling add the chopped clams, bacon, cream, and thyme. Stir the soup and let it cook until hot, do not bring it to a boil. Remove the soup from the heat and slowly stir in the roux until the desired consistency is reached.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place diced bacon in large saucepan with the butter. Cook on medium heat until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. When onions are translucent, stir in water, clam juice and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered until the liquid has reduced by half. Potatoes should be fork tender. Pour in half-and-half and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and add chopped clams just before serving, (otherwise clams will be tough). Garnish with crackers and chopped chives.

CONTEST-WINNING NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes., In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes., Stir in clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil). Crumble the cooked bacon; sprinkle over each serving.

MY BEST CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
• Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
• Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

MONTEREY CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place vegetables, bacon and margarine in a 5 quart sauce pot.
• Saute over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Be careful not to brown or scorch.
• When vegetables are tender, add flour to make a roux.
• Cook for two minutes, allowing flour to cook while stirring occasionally.
• Add clam juice and dairy products.
• Stir by using a wire whip.
• Add fresh garlic, black pepper, and chopped clams.
• Cook over low-medium heat stirring occasionally to prevent chowder from scorching.
• Cook for two hours or until chowder is brought to desired thickness. If a crockpot, or small steam kettle is available, it is recommended.
• Also, clam juice can be added to thin chowder down if it gets too thick.
• Cook for about 1 1/2 hours. The chowder needs to be stirred OFTEN, probably about every 5-10 minutes or so or it will stick to the bottom of the pot.

THE BEST DAMN CLAM CHOWDER EVER

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, brown prosciutto, or bacon over medium-low heat until crisp.
• Add the onion and cook until softened.
• Add the flour and stir until lightly colored, about a minute.
• Slowly whisk in the clam broth, reserved clam liquid, potatoes, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the clams, cream, fresh parsley, salt and white pepper.
• Bring to a simmer and serve immediately.
• (You may substitute any type of shellfish, or even fish for the clams in this recipe.).

EASY CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. In the drippings, saute onions until tender., Drain clams, reserving juice. Set clams aside. Add the potatoes, clam juice and broth to the onions. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in the clams, soup, milk, cream, salt, pepper and bacon; heat through.

QUICK CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Sauté bacon in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat until light brown and most of the fat is rendered. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic powder to Dutch oven and sauté until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, clam juice, reserved juices from chopped clams and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add clams and half and half and simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.