Rhode Island Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 36 whole littleneck clams, in their shells
• 1 pound potatoes, waxy variety (like Yukon Gold)
• 1 medium onion, yellow
• 2 whole celery stalks
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups clam juice (or bottled clam broth)
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Scrub each clam under cold running water with a stiff brush to remove sand and grit from the outside of the shell. Discard any clams that do not close when tapped.

2. 2

   Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes by first slicing them lengthwise into flat planks, then slicing those planks into sticks, then chopping crosswise into small cubes.

3. 3

   Cut the onion in half from root to tip, place cut-side down, then slice crosswise into half-moons about 1/4-inch thick.

4. 4

   Slice the celery stalks crosswise into 1/4-inch half-moons, like coins.

5. 5

   Place the clams in a large pot and add 1 cup of water, then cover with a lid and set heat to high.

6. 6

   Cook until all clam shells have opened fully, about 8–10 minutes. Discard any clams that did not open.

7. 7

   Pour the clams and their cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, catching the broth below. Pour the broth into a measuring cup, then rinse out the pot.

8. 8

   Once cool enough to handle, remove each clam from its shell and chop into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding the shells. Set the chopped clams aside.

9. 9

   Measure the clam broth and add enough bottled clam juice to total 4 cups (if you have more than 2 cups broth, use only 4 cups total).

10. 10

    Place the clean pot over medium heat and add the 3 tablespoons of butter, stirring occasionally until fully melted and foaming, about 1 minute.

11. 11

    Add the diced onion and celery to the melted butter and stir constantly until the onion turns translucent and soft, about 4 minutes.

12. 12

    Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to coat evenly, creating a thick paste.

13. 13

    Pour in the 4 cups of clam broth slowly while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming in the flour.

14. 14

    Add the diced potatoes and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

15. 15

    Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring once every 2 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender and can be pierced easily with a fork, about 15 minutes.

16. 16

    Stir in the chopped clams and cook for 1 more minute to heat them through.

17. 17

    Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed, stirring to combine.

Tools you’ll need

• stiff brush for scrubbing clams
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• large pot with lid (at least 4-quart capacity)
• fine-mesh strainer
• measuring cup
• wooden spoon or whisk

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