This is a rich, delicious soup, and, with all the dicing, a great way to practise your knife skills. And here’s a little tip: buy shallots instead of onions. They’re smaller, so you get the rich flavour of onions without wondering what to do with an unused half onion left sitting in your fridge.
Serves 4 to 6
1 c white wine
30 fresh clams (we use Manila clams)
8 oz double-smoked bacon, in 1/2-inch dice
3 shallots, diced
1/2 carrot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb red potatoes, unpeeled but cut in small dice
2 c clam nectar
2 ears fresh corn, shucked
2 c whipping cream
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water
2 tsp finely minced chives
Heat the white wine in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the clams, cover and steam with the lid on until all the clams have opened, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Discard any clams that have not opened. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the clams to a bowl. Separate the meat from the shells, discarding the shells and reserving both the clam meat and any clam juices. Set aside.
Line a plate with paper towels. Place the bacon in a small saucepan and sauté over medium heat until brown and crisp, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the paper towel–lined plate.
Pour off and discard all but 1 Tbsp of the bacon fat. Add the shallots, carrots and garlic and sauté over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, clam nectar and reserved clam juices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, preheat a grill to high heat. Place the corn on the grill, turning the cobs often to cook all sides until tender and charred, 6 to 7 minutes total. Remove from the heat and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob into a small bowl and set aside. Discard the cobs.
To the simmering soup, add the cream, reserved clam meat, lemon juice, corn, thyme and bacon. Increase the heat to high, bring the soup back to a boil and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the chowder into individual bowls and garnish with the chives.
Chef’s Note: Taste this soup carefully before seasoning it with salt, as a lot of the ingredients used in this soup are naturally salty.