What's for dinner? Sunday 10-26-14

[buckytom]

Craig made some delicious New England fresh clam chowder, no canned clams allowed!

what type of shell-fishy liquid did craigsy use? he used cream, of course.

i can't realistically get around using bottled clam juice even if i'm only using chopped (large) fresh quahogs and/or whole topnecks or cherrystones.

you need a crapload of clams for enough liquer and steaming liquid to make a large, concentrated quantity of clam juice.

i often cheat starting with canned chopped quahogs, but then use a lot of fresh topnecks as well. so much so that you get a good piece of clam on every spoonful.

also, was there bacon involved. or how about leeks? there have been bloody feuds over the inclusion or exclusion of either. or both.

 

[medtran49]

I cannot stand bottled clam juice either. We did have a bunch of clams, it was a very clammy clam chowder. He picked up a bag of littlenecks at the restaurant supply place, WAY better prices than the seafood market, much less the grocery. He partially steamed them first the day before, probably with white wine and garlic (he's not up yet and I didn't help, but that's what we usually do) so they'd be just starting to open and he wouldn't have to fight with them. There was a lot of clam/steaming juice, well over a cup and he used chicken broth to make up the rest. He did use bacon but not leeks, used sweet onions instead.

Sometimes the place has cockles and some tiny little clams or something, don't remember what they were but had never seen them before. Told him I wanted to try some cockles next time they have them, just have to find some recipes.