Best 7 California Clam Chowder Recipes

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain the clams, adding the juice from the cans to a large stock pot. Set the clams aside.
• Add chicken broth and diced potatoes to the pot (the liquid should just barely cover the potatoes). Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf, and cook until the potatoes are barely fork tender, about 5-6 minutes.
• While the potatoes cook, in a second pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in the milk and half and half, whisking as you add them to break up any clumps of flour. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until the thickened, about 5 minutes
• Stir the creamy mixture into the potatoes. Stir in the salt, pepper, vinegar, and reserved clams. Cook for 5 more minutes.

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat add the bacon and cook until slightly crisp and no longer pink. Remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until tender. Add the flour and stir.
• Add in the juice from the clams, chicken broth, milk, and half and half, then stir until there aren't any clumps. Add in the potatoes.
• Bring the pot to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer until the potatoes are tender and the soup is thick. Stir in the clams and salt and pepper to taste. Top with crumbled bacon and serve.

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

Steps:

• Wash and scrub the clams to get rid of the dirt. Set the littlenecks aside in the refrigerator, and combine the cherrystone clams with the water, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme leaves in a large pot. Cover, and steam over medium-high heat until the clams have all popped open, about 15 minutes. Check every 5 minutes to pull out the clams that have opened (some take longer than others), and give the pot a stir. Pull the opened clams out of their shells and chop them roughly. Cover them and set aside. Pour the broth into a big bowl through a strainer that you've lined with cheesecloth, just in case there is leftover sand; set the broth aside.
• Rinse out the pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta, celery, and onion. Saute this together for 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Sprinkle the flour into the pot; stir and coat everything well. Gradually pour in the strained clam broth, whisking constantly to break up any lumps of flour. When all the broth is incorporated, fold in the potatoes, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for about 15 minutes. The soup will start to thicken from the potato starch.
• Reduce the heat to low and fold in the cream, milk, and chopped clams. Toss in the littleneck clams and cover the pot to let them steam open, about 5 minutes. Season the soup with many turns of freshly ground black pepper and stir everything together to heat through, but do not let it boil. Serve this in nice big bowls with some chopped parsley and Parmesan Oyster Crackers.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Chop garlic cloves then sprinkle with some salt and smash to make a paste. Set a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add butter, oil and garlic and swirl pan. Add oyster crackers and chopped flat-leaf parsley and toss to coat. Spread out on a sheet tray, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with shredded Parmigiano. Pop into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and crispy.
• Yield: 2 cups

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.

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.

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.