A thick and delicious chowder that is sure to fill even the most hungry.
Ingredients
- 2 kg clams plus enough cold water to cover them in a pan
- 25 g butter
- 50 g salt
- 3 slices streaky bacon rashers (diced)
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 225 g tomatoes (peeled and de-seeded)
- 225 g leek (washed and sliced)
- 4 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch of nutmeg
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
- 25 g butter
- 25 g flour
- 1 tblsp finely chopped parsley
- ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp tabasco
- 300 ml cream
Method
- Put the clams into the sink and wash under cold running water. Repeat this several times, until there are no traces of sand at the bottom.
- Place the clams in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring them to the boil and throw away any that haven't opened. Retain the clam water.
- Cut the clams from the shells and chop them up small. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan and cook the diced bacon with the sliced onion over a low heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the chopped clams and the tomatoes, leeks and potatoes, the bay leaf, nutmeg and seasoning.
- Pour in 550ml/1 pint of the water in which the clams were cooked, and simmer the lot for 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix the butter with the flour to make beurre manie.
- Use this to thicken the chowder by adding it slowly, bit by bit, stirring all the time.
- Add the parsley, Worcestershire sauce and the Tabasco. Lastly, add the cream, and serve hot.
