Clam Chowder Wolfgang Puck 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.

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:

• Rinse the clams in several changes of cold water and drain well. Tip the clams into a large pan with 500ml of water. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins until the clams have just opened. Tip the contents of the pan into a colander over a bowl to catch the clam stock. When cool enough to handle, remove the clams from their shells - reserving a handful of empty shells for presentation if you want. Strain the clam stock into a jug, leaving any grit in the bottom of the bowl. You should have around 800ml stock.
• Heat the butter in the same pan and sizzle the bacon for 3-4 mins until it starts to brown. Stir in the onion, thyme and bay and cook everything gently for 10 mins until the onion is soft and golden. Scatter over the flour and stir in to make a sandy paste, cook for 2 mins more, then gradually stir in the clam stock then the milk and the cream.
• Throw in the potatoes, bring everything to a simmer and leave to bubble away gently for 10 mins or until the potatoes are cooked. Use a fork to crush a few of the potato chunks against the side of the pan to help thicken - you still want lots of defined chunks though. Stir through the clam meat and the few clam shells, if you've gone down that route, and simmer for a minute to reheat. Season with plenty of black pepper and a little salt, if needed, then stir through the parsley just before ladling into bowls or hollowed-out crusty rolls.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot, over medium heat, add the butter and the oil. Once the butter is melted add the onions and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly tender. Mix in the flour and cook until the flour is a very pale golden color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and thyme. Stir in the milk and the juice from the canned clams. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Remove 2 cups of the chowder and puree in a blender* until smooth. Add pureed chowder, clams and corn to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Transfer to individual soup bowls or a large soup bowl and serve.
• When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

CORN CHOWDER WITH JALAPENO CREAM

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock and white wine to a boil with the garlic and thyme. Add the clams, bring back to a boil, cover, and steam until the clams are just opened, 3 to 4 minutes. Strain the liquid into a bowl and discard any unopened clams. Remove the clams from their shells and set aside.
• In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the butter. Saute the onion, leek, carrot, and celery over moderate heat, until al dente, about 10minutes. Pour in the clam liquid and bring to a boil. Add the corncobs and the corn kernels, reserving 1 cup of kernels for garnish. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cobs and strain the soup into a clean saucepan. Transfer the strained vegetables to a blender or food processor, pour in the cream, and process until pureed, still retaining a little texture. Stir back into the soup and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, add the reserved clams, and simmer for 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
• While the soup is cooking, prepare the jalapeno cream. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
• Ladle the soup into heated bowls, making sure that there are clams in each bowl. Spoon a little of the jalapeno cream in the center, passing the remaining cream in a small bowl. Garnish with the reserved 1 cop corn kernels and serve immediately.

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Make a bouquet garni by placing the 3 sprigs thyme, parsley, garlic cloves, and peppercorns in cheesecloth and tying with kitchen twine. Add wine, water, and bouquet garni to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the clams, cover with a lid, and cook until clams open. Strain the clams into a bowl, reserving both the juice and clams.
• Return the pan to the heat, add olive oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Add onion and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add celery and carrot and cook until tender. Sprinkle flour into pan, stir to make a roux, and cook until flour is incorporated; do not let roux brown. Add more oil if mixture seems dry.
• Add 1 more fresh thyme sprig, and return the strained clam cooking liquid to the pan and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add potato, milk, lemon juice, and cayenne and simmer until potato is tender. Meanwhile, remove clams from their shells and roughly chop clams. When potato is tender, add clams back into the pan, add cream, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine, and as soon as clams are heated through, remove from the heat.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish each with croutons and a sprig of fresh thyme. Serve immediately.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with garlic and chili oil and sprinkle with parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss well. Pour onto a sheet pan in 1 even layer and bake until crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve on top of chowder.
• In a small saucepan, combine the garlic cloves and olive oil and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer until the garlic begins to turn brown, 10 to 15 minutes. (Do not let the garlic get too brown or the oil will have a bitter taste.)
• Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Add the red pepper flakes and infuse for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

CLAM CHOWDER WOLFGANG PUCK II

Steps:

• Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish each with croutons and a sprig of fresh thyme. Serve immediately. Croutons: 1 loaf sourdough bread, crusts removed, cubed Garlic and Chili Oil, recipe follows 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves Salt and freshly ground pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with garlic and chili oil and sprinkle with parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss well. Pour onto a sheet pan in 1 even layer and bake until crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve on top of chowder. Chili and Garlic Oil: 1 whole head garlic (about 2 1/2 ounces, cloves separated and peeled) 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes In a small saucepan, combine the garlic cloves and olive oil and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer until the garlic begins to turn brown, 10 to 15 minutes. (Do not let the garlic get too brown or the oil will have a bitter taste.) Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Add the red pepper flakes and infuse for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put the clams in a large, heavy Dutch oven, add about 4 cups water, then set over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook until clams have opened, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. (Clams that fail to open after 15 to 20 minutes should be discarded.) Strain clam broth through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or doubled-up paper towels, and set aside. Remove clams from shells, and set aside as well.
• Rinse out the pot, and return it to the stove. Add butter, and turn heat to medium-low. Add bacon or salt pork, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pork has started to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pork from fat, and set aside.
• Add the leeks to the fat, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes and wine, and continue cooking until wine has evaporated and the potatoes have just started to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add enough clam broth to just cover the potatoes, approximately 3 cups, reserving the rest for another use. Add the thyme and the bay leaf.
• Partly cover the pot, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the clams into bits about the size of the bacon dice.
• When potatoes are tender, add cream and stir in chopped clams and reserved bacon. Add black pepper to taste. Let come to a simmer, and remove from heat. (Do not let chowder come to a full boil.) Fish out the thyme and the bay leaf, and discard.
• The chowder should be allowed to sit for a while to cure. Reheat it to a bare simmer before serving, then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with oyster crackers.