Healthy Clam Chowder Recipes

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.

CLAM CHOWDER, LIGHTENED UP

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt butter. Add onions, and heat on low heat until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add flour and stir 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the milk, vegetable broth, reserved clam juice, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and salt & pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.
• Remove half of the soup and discard bay leaves, put soup in blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot.
• Add clams, corn and adjust salt if needed and cook another 5 minutes.
• Serve and garnish with fresh parsley.

HEALTHY CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, saute the mushrooms, celery and onion in margarine until tender. In a bowl, whisk the soup, clam juice and wine or broth; stir into vegetable mixture. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. , Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add clams; cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

LOW-FAT CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put the clams and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the clams open, 5 to 10 minutes (discard any that do not open); transfer the clams to a bowl.
• Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup. (You should have 3 cups liquid; add water if needed.) Wipe out the pot. Pour the liquid back into the pot through a paper towel-lined sieve. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one-third of the potatoes. Continue to cook the remaining potatoes, covered, until soft, about 10 more minutes. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook, stirring, about 3 more minutes. Add the bacon mixture and reserved potatoes to the soup. Cover and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Stir the clam meat and half-and-half into the soup; remove from the heat, cover and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Discard the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper and reheat. Serve topped with a slice of butter, parsley, chives and paprika.

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, render the salt pork until just crisp. Remove and discard. Sweat the onion in the pork fat until tender. Add the potatoes and cover with milk. Bring to a boil and let simmer until potatoes are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a separate pot, fitted with a steamer basket, bring the reserved clam juice to a boil. Add clams and cover. Steam for three minutes until all clams are open. Remove the clams as they open and transfer to a bowl. Add the steaming juices to the pot with the chowder. Using a stick blender puree to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings.
• Finely chop the drained canned clams. Fold into the chowder. Serve with steamed clams, parsley, sour cream and grape tomatoes, as garnish.

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.

CLAM CHOWDER USING CANNED CLAMS

Steps:

• Drain the liquid from the canned clams/mussels and add enough water to make 1 1/2 cup.
• Place liquid in a sauce pan Add onion, S& P and potato.
• Cook at medium heat until veggies are tender (about 10 minutes).
• Reduce heat to low.
• Add clams/mussels, evaporated milk and butter.
• Heat until warmed through Do not boil.
• Check seasoning and serve with oyster (or common) crackers.

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.).