We’ve been craving really good clam chowder since getting back from Block Island last month so the only solution was to make our own.  My weekly HEB adventure was rather disappointing in the seafood department this morning.  Oh, they had clams alright but their chowder clams were 5 bucks a piece and we weren’t craving chowder that bad.  I needed to hit H Mart on the way home for some giardinieri vinegar for Kathy, since HEB let me down there too.  Lo and behold, H Mart had the same chowder clams @ 2 for a dollar!  We in bidness now.

True confession rules require my disclaimer that the chowder was not as good as it looked, but it would have been if I hadn’t made some clam rookie mistakes.  First error, steaming them too long to open.  That made them rather rubber band like.  Then I forgot to get the French bread ready and so the chowder simmered about 30 minutes past when it was done.  This yielded clam texture suitable for tire retreads.  The flavor was excellent which was good because you got to enjoy the little devils for quite awhile.  This recipe is really very good, just make sure that you don’t overcook the clams.

To serve 4 (or 2 twice

4 live chowder clams

1/2 cup diced onion

2 T minced garlic

5 strips bacon

1-1/2 cup russet potato in bite sized cubes

2 t fresh thyme leaves

Chopped parsley for garnish

2 cups shellfish stock, or 1 cup clam juice and 1 cup clam steaming liquid

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups half and half

salt and pepper to taste

Fry the bacon, set aside and crumble when cool

Cover the clams in water, simmer just long enough to get them to open.  Take them from the water and clean by removing the soft stomach area, rinse and chop the rest.   Reserve 1 cup of this liquid if you are not using shellfish stock.

Saute the potato cubes in the bacon grease until slightly browned, add the onion and garlic and saute a few minutes more to wilt the onion

Add the chopped clams, shellfish stock, white wine, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol.

Add the thyme leaves

Add the half and half slowly while stirring

Ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and chopped parsley