Way Better Than New England Clam Chowder with Ari Kolender

Ari Kolender's Clam Chowder
Serves 4 to 6

A few glugs of extra virgin olive oil
3 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped into ¼-inch lardons (I prefer Neuske’s bacon if you can find it)
1 fresh bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
1 sprig fresh tarragon
½ cup diced yellow onion
½ cup diced leeks -- white and light green part only
1 clove of garlic, minced or finely grated
1/3 cup diced celery stalks and leaves
1/3 cup diced fennel bulb
15 grinds black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
5 (6.25-ounce) cans of chopped clams with their juices – I prefer Bar Harbor
1 pound medium-diced Yukon gold potatoes, skin-on
A dash of tabasco
½ teaspoon Worcestershire
A squeeze of lemon juice
A glug of fish sauce
Some chives, cut into batons to finish
Oyster crackers and Tabasco to serve

Place your pot over medium-low heat and add the oil and bacon. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the fat has mostly rendered but is not turning crisp – about 5 minutes. If the fat is smoking at all, reduce the heat to low.

Meanwhile, tie the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and tarragon sprigs together with kitchen twine into a tight bundle and set it aside.

Once the bacon is rendered, add the onions, leeks, garlic, celery and fennel and season them with salt and pepper. Continue cooking the aromatics until the onions have turned translucent – about 5 more minutes. Add the flour and stir it constantly, toasting it for about 1 minute – you are just cooking out the raw taste of the flour, not trying to brown it at all.

Add the cream, clams (with their juices), potatoes, and bundle of herbs. Raise the heat to high and bring the pot to a boil. Once it is boiling, lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir it occasionally and allow the chowder to simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are cooked through and the sharp edges have begun to round and degrade (this means that the potatoes have started to break apart and will help to thicken the chowder).

Once the chowder is cooked, remove it from heat and stir in the Tabasco, Worcestershire, fish sauce and lemon juice. Taste it for seasoning, adding more salt and black pepper as needed. If the flavor is too intense, you can dilute it with a splash of additional cream.

Serve hot, garnished with chive matchsticks, oyster crackers and Tabasco.

The chowder will last about a week in the fridge. If you are re-heating it, taste it again for seasoning and adjust with lemon, fish sauce, Tabasco and Worcestershire before serving.

[PamSchneidercom]

How are more people not watching this? Clever, educational - a must see every week

[meganchen]

I never knew clam chowder is this easy! Or at least you two made it look very easy. I'll have to try it this weekend!

[eleanorroberts]

Can do a little cornstarch slurry at the end for those who can't do gluten/flour thing, for thickening

[romainegame]

never been interested in cooking or eating clam chowder but this may have sold me on trying to make it!

[alexandraleonova]

This looks fabulous! 100% agree all other “chowder” is just clam gravy.

[rickbourne]

This is one soup my mother never made from scratch. Everything was beef or chicken. She did cow tongue, until my brother and I saw it being boiled, and that was the end of that. Anyway this clam chouder was surprisingly simple and looks really good. I was surprised at the addition of Worcestershire Sauce.

[MrMoleyZ]

Don't think the original DPP had clam chowder, only in spaghetti