I don't know about you guys, but this Mama is a cool weather, soup eating, sweater wearing kind of girl. I honestly don't know if I've ever met a soup I didn't like. But this one I'm about to teach you is one of the few that I absolutely LOVE! Y'all ready?
What you need: (If you are using Mama's Pantry List, then you'll already have a lot of this on hand.)
- 4 cans minced clams
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 slab bacon (I like thick sliced bacon, but that is just me)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 8 - 10 potatoes
- 1/2 an onion
- 3 - 4 green onions
- salt & pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Chop up the potatoes, green onions, and bacon, but slice the onion thinly. Separate the green onion into two piles. One should just be the white and denser green parts; the other pile is just the tender green shoots. Drain your clams' juice into a large measuring cup or small mixing bowl. You should get around 2 cup of juice out of that. Keep it to the side, because every drop goes in the broth.
This soup's so cozy, even the taters get toasty!
Look at that! Oh, the smell! It's heaven in a handbasket, let me tell you!
Alright, now you want to really put some salt and pepper to it here. Do it to taste, of course, but remember... potatoes and flour both take a good bit of salt and pepper before you ever really notice that it is there. Put just a bit more than you think you need.
The last bit of seasoning needed is your bay leaf. It does beautiful things, trust me. Pop it in there and let's move on.
Ok, guys... It's broth time. Take the 2 cups of clam juice and 4 cups of water and pour it all in there. Give it a stir and turn the heat up a bit. That's it. Seriously. Broth doesn't have to be hard to be good.
Let it all boil for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until your potatoes can be squished with just a bit of pressure from a fork. (Check out my super instructive picture above.)
Add in the 1/2 cup (Give or take... I usually give. A lot.) and the drained, minced clams into the soup. Bring it all back up to temp, stirring constantly. Then, turn the heat down to a simmer and let it all cook for about 5 more minutes. Remove your bay leaf and discard, and then serve it up with a smile.
I serve mine with Parmesan and a little chunk of crusty french bread that I've brushed with olive oil and toasted for just a few minutes in the oven. It just adds to the cozy. One can never have too much cozy.
Give it a try, y'all. I can't wait to hear how you like it! Stay warm as the weather cools, and remember... Mama loves ya!
· Crack-tastic Clam Chowder
- 4 cans minced clams, drained (2 cups of the clam juice reserved and kept for the broth)
- · 4 cups water
- · 1 tsp. minced garlic
- · ½ cup heavy cream
- · Half slab bacon, chopped
- · ½ an onion, sliced
- · 3-4 green onions, chopped
- · 8 - 10 potatoes, peeled and chopped
- · Salt & Pepper to taste
- · 1 bay leaf
Drain clams into a bowl or measuring cup to get at
least 2 cups of clam juice. Set aside. Cook the bacon in a medium pot until starting
to brown. Add in white and denser parts of the green onions, and the sliced
onion, and cook together until onion clears. Add in garlic and cook until bacon
browns. Toss in potatoes and bay leaf, and stir it all together. Add salt and
pepper, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in clam juice and water. Cook until
potatoes are soft, but not floury (about 10-15 minutes). Add in the clams and
cream for the last 5 minutes of cook time. Serve with crusty, toasted French bread
and a little Parmesan Cheese, or Oyster crackers.
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