I love a good clam chowder. As a little girl, I liked to order a bucket of steamer clams when my family went to a seafood restaurant. I loved to pry the tender clams from the shells with the cute little fork that was provided. And I really loved dipping the clams in the melted butter that came with them. Clam chowder was a favorite option too.
Flash forwards many years and Nancy D loves clam chowder. Unfortunately, we have not had it for dinner very often because it generally calls for flour and cream, which are two things that don’t work in my diet. The flour was easy to replace, but it was not until very recently that I discovered “Plant Cream,” which is produced by Country Crock. It looks and tastes like cream without the offensive lactose. Eureka!!! This clam chowder is based off of a recipe from Ivar’s Acres of Clams in Seattle.
This recipe serves 6 people. It can successfully be halved. Freezing leftovers is not advised because the cream and milk will not retain their creamy texture when thawed. It takes approximately 40 minutes to make, but it can be prepared ahead of time and kept in a slow cooker set to warm.
- 12 ounces sliced bacon
Cut bacon slices into 1/4-inch pieces. Place these in a large, covered pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring the bacon frequently to prevent burning, until the fat has rendered. Meanwhile….
- 1 medium onion
- 3-4 stalks celery
- 1 large potato, peeled
Chop the vegetables into 1/4-inch pieces. Once the bacon is crispy, remove all but about 1/4 cup of the rendered fat. Add the vegetables to the pan and stir to combine.
- 2 6.5 ounce cans chopped clams
- 1 1/2 cups water
Drain the clam juice into a measuring cup and add it to the vegetables. Reserve the clams for later. Add the water to the vegetables, stir to combine the mixture, and cover the pot to simmer for about 20 minutes.
- 2 cups cream
- 2 cups milk (I used goat milk)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
Combine the cream, milk, and salt in a large saucepan and place the pan over medium-high heat. Bring the cream mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the pan. While the cream is coming to a simmer, whisk together the cornstarch and water to form a slurry. When the cream is simmering, turn the heat down to medium, stir the cornstarch into the cream, and continue to stir constantly for about a minute until it thickens. Remove the thickened cream from the heat and whisk to make sure it is smooth. Pour the cream into the vegetables after they have cooked for 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining clams. Check the seasonings to make sure they are to your taste. You may wish to add some additional salt and some pepper. If you are keeping the soup warm, place it in a slow cooker set on “warm.”
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Whisk together in your salad bowl.
- Saltine or soda crackers
- 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley
Serve with the soup, the crackers on the side, the parsley on the top.
- 5 handfuls of lettuce
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped smoked almonds
When you are ready to eat, layer the lettuce, cranberries, and almonds over the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Check the seasonings and serve immediately.
