“Clam Chowder for Lunch!!!”
After watching the clamming going on in front of the Inn down at the Sand Dollar Beach… We asked our Chef Trap if he had a recipe that could use these “Steamer” clams for a chowder…. of course he did… and here it is! Enjoy!!!!
Clam Chowder at Black Point Inn
Black Point Inn Steamer Clam Chowder
This recipe uses steamer clams freshly dug on Sand Dollar beach. It is best to leave the clams overnight in seawater with 1/8 cup of cornmeal scattered over the water. This will help them to filter out any sand in their bellies.
5# fresh steamer clams (1# or approximately 1qt shucked clams)
1c water
1/3 # smoked bacon, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 stick butter
1/4c flour
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium Turkish bay leaf
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/4c dry sherry
2 1/2c milk
1 1/2c heavy cream
Begin by steaming the clams in a deep stock pot until they open. Add 1c water so that they do not dry out. Strain the cooking broth to add to chowder later. Pull the clams out of their shells and pull off the siphons to get to the arrowhead shaped meat. Discard all but this meat and the soft belly. This should yield the quart of usable clam meat.
In a 2 quart heavy bottomed nonreactive stock pot gently brown the diced bacon, reserving the cooked bacon but leaving the fat in the pot.
Add the butter, celery, onion, thyme, and bay leaf. Gently cook until onion and celery are soft, approximately ten minutes.
Add flour and mix in well to make the roux. Allow to cook for another three to five minutes on low heat.
Add the potatoes, clam meat, clam broth, and sherry.
Now add the heavy cream and simmer until potatoes are cooked through.
Finally add the milk , being careful to not let the chowder boil.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve divide the chowder between four soup bowls and garnish with chopped bacon
