Fish is wonderful in my opinion. Oysters, clams, and squid are little pieces of happiness to me too. I love fried oysters! I made them, at home, a few years ago and my son and I devoured them. I ate my first raw oysters last summer. I started with one, and then another and another. My husband was surprised I ate 6 with no problem. YUMMY!
Fish is so abundant where I now live. LOVE, LOVE this. We were in UT before and fish was available but not like here...right off the boat! When I decided to make clam chowder this time, I picked up the can of clams and then my hubby suggested we try fresh clams. I have never done that before. I wasn't sure what to expect..sand, taste, texture...would it ruin the soup?
I am here to say that it did not ruin the soup and it was so much better. I found that the canned clams were sweet and added an artificial flavor to the soup. The fresh clams gave you that pure clam taste. I can't explain the taste other than, for me, it was wonderful. I bought 40 clams at 45cents a piece...GASP...it was spendy but well worth the money.
Clam Chowder
This will make enough for 6-8 adults. It is wonderful the next day warmed up.
2 cups of Chicken Broth ( You can use water if you want, I just like the flavor of the broth in the soup.)
2 cups of water
clam juice (The juice should come from the can or in the container with the fresh clams)
1 cup of fresh clams or 2 small cans of clams (Fresh is about 40-50 clams, shucked)
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cup of celery, diced
4 potatoes, cubed
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of flour (gluten-free- use brown rice flour)
2 cups of milk
2 cups of cream
pepper and salt to taste
2 dashes of hot sauce (optional)
2 T. Fresh Parsley, minced (optional)
Chop your clams if they are fresh. I usually don't have to chop the clams from the can. If using fresh, let your clams sit overnight so the sand has a chance to sink to the bottom of the container. I was surprised at how much was there the next day compared to the first. Gently remove the clams from the container. Save the juice to add to the water/broth. If you want a stronger clam flavor you can always add purchased clam juice to the broth.
In a large stockpot, add the broth, clam juice, and water or 6 cups of water and clam juice. Turn heat to medium-high.
In the pot, add your diced celery and onion. Add your cubed potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil and cook until potatoes are done. Depending on the size of your potatoes, plan on 15-20 minutes.
In a separate pot, add the stick of butter and melt. Stir in your flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the milk and cream. This should get thick after a few minutes of cooking on medium-high. Turn heat off and set aside until the potatoes are done. If it is not thick after 5 minutes, you may need to add more flour.
Meanwhile, you can mince the parsley if you are using it in the soup.
When your potatoes are done, add the flour/milk/cream mixture to the soup. Add your chopped clams. The clams do not take long to cook, 5-10 minutes. They should be firm to the touch.
You will need to add pepper and salt to you soup. I find that I use a lot of salt but everyone is different. So you will need to salt, taste, salt, etc...to find what is best for your family. We also love a few dashes of hot sauce..this is optional of course. The fresh parsley adds more flavor to the soup. We love this addition.
Written by Sherron Watson
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