Creamy Clam Chowder
Toasted Bread Cubes

A rich and comforting cream-based clam chowder loaded with fresh clams, tender potatoes, button mushrooms, and smoky bacon, finished with golden toasted bread cubes.

Ingredients

• 0.5 kg fresh live clams
• 1/8 red onion
• 30 g bacon
• 4 white button mushrooms
• 1/2 large potato
• 200 ml hot water
• 150 ml heavy cream
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• to taste fresh parsley

Instructions

1. 1Soak and clean the clams

   

   Place half a kilo of fresh, live clams into a glass bowl filled with water and a pinch of salt. Let them soak so they can purge sand and impurities before cooking.

   Tip: Always use fresh, live clams from the market to ensure the best flavor and avoid a muddy taste.
2. 2Boil the clams

   

   Transfer the soaked clams into a pot of boiling water and cook them until their shells open up. Use a skimmer to remove them from the pot once done.

   Tip: Discard any clams that do not open during boiling.
3. 3Extract the clam meat

   

   Once the boiled clams are cool enough to handle, use your hands to extract the tender meat from the opened shells and discard the shells entirely.

   Tip: Keep the extracted clam meat ready on a clean plate for later assembly in the soup.
4. 4Dice the red onion

   

   Take one-eighth of a red onion and place it on a wooden cutting board. Use a sharp chefs knife to finely dice it into small pieces.

   Tip: Fine dicing ensures the onion blends smoothly into the chowder texture.
5. 5Chop the bacon

   

   Take about 30 grams of bacon and chop it into small, uniform pieces to release rich flavors when stir-fried.

   Tip: Uniform bacon pieces will render fat evenly during cooking.
6. 6Slice the button mushrooms

   

   Take four white button mushrooms and slice them into thin, even pieces on the cutting board.

   Tip: Thinly sliced mushrooms cook quickly and absorb the creamy broth flavors better.
7. 7Dice the potato

   

   Take a peeled potato and carefully dice it into small, uniform cubes on a cutting board using a cleaver.

   Tip: Cut the potatoes into uniform sizes so they cook evenly in the soup.
8. 8Sauté onion and bacon

   

   Pour olive oil into a black pan, heat it up, and add the diced red onion and bacon. Stir-fry them together until fragrant and translucent.

   Tip: Sautéing the bacon and onions first builds a rich flavor foundation for the chowder.
9. 9Add mushrooms, potatoes, and flour

   

   Add the sliced button mushrooms, diced potatoes, and a little flour into the pan with the onion and bacon mixture. Stir-fry until everything is well combined and slightly dry.

   Tip: Adding a spoonful of flour helps thicken the soup later on.
10. 10Pour in hot water

    

    Pour hot water directly into the pan over the sautéed vegetable and meat mixture, then let it boil on high heat for 5 minutes.

    Tip: Using hot water helps maintain the cooking temperature and speeds up the boiling process.
11. 11Pour in heavy cream

    

    Pour 150ml of cream into the simmering soup mixture to give it a rich and creamy texture.

    Tip: Add the cream towards the middle of the cooking process to prevent it from separating or curdling under prolonged high heat.
12. 12Add clam meat

    

    Add the extracted clam meat into the creamy soup mixture, season with black pepper and salt, stir well, and continue boiling for another 5 minutes.

    Tip: Adjust salt and pepper to taste after adding the clams, as they bring a natural saltiness.
13. 13Season the chowder

    

    Grind fresh black pepper directly into the simmering soup and add a pinch of salt to enhance the overall flavor.

    Tip: Season gradually and taste the soup before adding more salt, especially since the bacon already contributes some sodium.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions