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Ingredients
- ½ cup thick-cut bacon or pancetta
- ¼ cup chopped green garlic or scallions
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 pints whole milk
- 1 ¼ cup chopped herbs such as cilantro or parsley
- 1 bay leaf
Method
- In a large saucepan, sauté the bacon so that it renders off some of its fat over medium-high heat. Add the half the green garlic and half the minced garlic and the butter and cook until lightly brown, about 3 minutes. Add the flour, stirring, to make a roux. Cook until the mixture is a light straw-brown color. Add the milk, whisking until it is smooth. Bring to a boil and add the remaining garlic and green garlic, pepper, basil, oregano and chili flakes and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook the bechamel for 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and let them sweat for 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and wine and when boiling, add the clams; cover tightly and cook until the clams just begin to open, about 5 minutes. You can shake the pan to encourage them to open. As soon as they start opening, remove them from the pan to a bowl to catch any juices and let them cool. Continue cooking the wine mixture until it reduces by half. Add the bechamel and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the clam meat from the shells by cutting the abductor muscle. Trim off any sandy parts and cut the clams into small pieces.
- Add the bacon and let it render some of its fat and then cook until it is golden and crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate. In the same pan, add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper and let them sweat until they are translucent and just beginning to pick up some color, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, scraping the pan well. Cook until reduced by half. Set aside.
- To finish the soup, add the cauliflower, potatoes, bacon and sautéed onions. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower and potatoes are cooked through. When you are ready to serve, add the clams, taste and season with salt and pepper. Simmer very gently for 5 minutes and serve with crusty bread.
For the Clams
Ingredients
- 6 chowder clams, about 4 pounds (in their shell) rinsed well
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped shallots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup vermouth
- ½ cup white wine
Method
To Finish the Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup thick-sliced bacon
- 3 medium onions, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 10 small fingerling potatoes (2 inches long each), cooked, peeled and halved
- ½ head cauliflower, broken into florets
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of dried basil and/or oregano
- Pinch red chili flakes
Method
There are many clam chowders, but for my family, including my daughter, this one beats them all, especially with the locally grown cauliflower and potatoes from Long Island. These vegetables have been produced here for decades. Huge, heavy chowder clams live in the sand along the coast, so make sure you rinse them well under running water for 20 minutes or so to remove any grit that remains in the shells.