Clam-oring for a good chowder?

A Pinch of Salt

By Donna Riani

Clamming is such an awesome way to spend time on our coast.  From the salty air to the beautiful views, you get to enjoy all of this beauty while foraging for abundant clams. Clamming is an activity you can do any time of year on the Oregon Coast. All you need is a low tide (this is very important), a shovel or a rake, a bucket, a shellfish license and a gauge to measure the clams as there are size restrictions. There are also daily limits in place to make sure future generations can also enjoy clamming. The bounty on offer is varied, ranging from razor clams to bay clams, which come in many varieties such as gaper, littleneck, cockles and butter. Oregon Coast clams are meaty, briny and slightly sweet. They are a culinary treasure.

Anyone who has spent any amount of time on the Oregon Coast knows that one of the most beloved coastal comfort foods is clam chowder, but not just any chowder, New England-style chowder. There are three clam chowders from the Northeast that are quite famous across the United States: red chowder, known as Manhattan chowder that has a tomato broth: white chowder which is referred to as New England-style chowder and made with milk or cream; and clear chowder, known as Rhode Island chowder, which has neither milk or tomato in the broth. The Oregon Coast is crazy about white chowder and has adopted this variety as its very own.

There are many recipes for chowder made with canned clams and I’m not knocking them. They are delicious, but we live on the Oregon Coast where fresh clams are abundant, so the recipe I’m sharing is for chowder made with fresh clams.

You might choose to treat yourself to a uniquely Oregon Coast experience and go clamming to gather the ingredients yourself. Or you can visit your local fishmonger and purchase them to make this creamy comforting classic.

New England Style Clam Chowder

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and small diced

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

2 1/2 cups whole milk

2 cups bottled clam juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

1 large bay leaf

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 pounds fresh clams, rinsed

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock

To garnish - parsley and green onions (green part only), finely chopped

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until golden brown and crisp, about six minutes. Place the crispy bacon on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

You should have about two tablespoons of fat left in the pan. If it doesn’t look like enough feel free to add a little extra olive oil. Add the onion, celery and potatoes to the pan. Season with a half teaspoon of salt and a small sprinkle of black pepper. Sauté over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and brown slightly. This will take about eight minutes.

Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds. You don’t want to brown the garlic; you just want to develop the flavor.

Pour in the milk and clam juice. Next, stir in the cornstarch mixture and add the bay leaf.

Bring this mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, stir in the heavy cream. If you like, you can remove the bay leaf at this point. Now is a good time to taste the chowder, as it likely will need additional salt and pepper.

While the chowder base is simmering you can start on the clams. Place a large pan over medium high heat. Add the clams and the stock. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the clams have steamed open. This will take about five minutes. Any clams that have not opened during the steaming process are not edible and need to be thrown away.

Place the steamed clams on a large rimmed sheet pan and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Now you can remove the meat from the shells. Any larger clams can be cut into smaller bite size pieces.

Stir the clams into the chowder. It’s now ready to serve.

Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the parsley, green onions and crispy bacon. This recipe serves about four people.