new england 'clam chowder'

Recipe by Michael Ruggiero, Executive Chef at GlenArbor Golf Club, Bedford, New York, USA.
​Image by Diana DeLucia.

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Ingredients

Yield - 4  portions

Clam Chowder 

•  1 slice Bacon (diced small)
• 1 rib Celery (diced small)
• 1 garlic Clove (finely sliced)
• 1 shallot (minced)
• ¼ of one Green Pepper (diced small)
• ½ can Clam Juice (1 quart / 14 ounces)
• 1-pint Heavy Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay
• 2 shakes Tabasco
• 1 sprig Thyme
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch: Chef Note ~ Add equal parts of clam juice to cornstarch to make a paste for the slurry or use two Tablespoons roux if  no gluten allergies 

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Fried Clams

•  4-6 Whole Belly Clams (per serving)
• All-Purpose Flour (seasoned with Salt and Pepper and Old Bay to taste) 

 Garnish

• ¼ Red pepper  (finely diced)
• 1 teaspoon Parsley (finely diced) 
• 1 teaspoon Chives (finely diced)
• 4 each Fingerling or Yukon potatoes (blanched and diced)
• Corn (grilled and shucked)

Preparation

Clam Chowder 

In a cast iron pan, render the bacon until crispy. Remove crisp bacon from fat and reserve until ready for plate-up

In a sauce pot sweat the celery, garlic, shallot, and green pepper until soft. 

When soft add the clam juice and bring to a boil.

Reduce by ¼ and thicken with the slurry or roux. 

Add the heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, Old Bay, thyme and salt and pepper and stir well. 

 
Fried Clams

Place the clams in the seasoned flour and coat thoroughly. 

Place each clam one by one in a deep fat fryer for approximately 1 minute or till golden brown. 

Dry in a fryer basket for 90 seconds before removing. 


Assembly

Garnish the soup with the diced red peppers, parsley, chives, crisp bacon bits and diced fingerling potato. 

Place the fried clams gently in the center. 

Serve immediately. 


Wine Match

Malvasia which is a white Italian wine from the Collio DOC in the Northeast region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

The freshness and charming acidity of this wine will dance in your palate between the creamy and marine flavors of the New England "Clam Chowder". There is a slight hint of sweetness and white fruits followed by white flower aromas that make this wine very enjoyable and pleasant.

Enjoy! 

Fernando Silva
Wine Director / Sommerlier 
GlenArbor Golf Club

GlenArbor Golf Club, Larchmont, New York, USA. Image courtesy GlenArbor.