Clam Chowder and Foccacia Bread

Well I love a GOOD bowl of Clam Chowder , we love Albonetti's in Monterey, so I gave it another whirl.  I had made the Shrimp Bisque last week and took a little of that technique into here.  I think I have tried every cooking version to make clam chowder.  My fish monger had chopped clams already packaged ready to cook (mmmm) one less headache and was reasonable $5.00 for a brick.  I used it all as hubby likes clams.

I diced small carrot

1 sliced thin and cleaned throughly 1 leek

Diced 1/4 of a sweet vidalia onion

2 stalks of celery sliced diced thinly

2-3 dutch baby golden potatoes chopped

1 garlic clove crushed and pasted with salt and pepper

1 1/4 inch Molinari Pancetta sliced thinly into lardons

Have a 1/2 pint of organic cream

1/2 of half and half

1 cube of some good organic butter

1/2 cup of white wine the kind that you want to drink don't use the cheap stuff

snipped chive optional

olive oil

1 pinch of saffron soaking in 1 shot glass of warm water

Old Bay Seasoning to your taste

Kosher Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup flour and wondra mixed

1 bottle clam juice

1 small container of clam stock (your fish monger might have some fish stock handy)

Also Morin has a Fish Base now as well.

I try to use organic everything as much as possible.

So hear goes I cooked in this order, provided you prepped your veggies above.

Cook your Pancetta Lardons slow-medium heat once done take them out.

Leave the rendered oil, and add a litte olive oil and move on below.

Saute' slowly the leeks and onion then add garlic in 1 T of the butter with a little olive oil

once they are translucent add the garlic and stir around once that is done

add the veggies and slowly cook them away. Once these are tender

add the wondra/flour mix and stir around again on slow fire don't rush it.,

add 1 T butter here or 2 and a little olive oil and stir around until the flour cooks itself out it will look like a glob.

Slowly add in the clam juice and stock and keep stirring like making homemade gravy it should start smoothing out.

Then add the wine and let it cook away for 15-20 min on med heat don't let it over boil just a nice simmer.

salt and pepper to taste

Add the clams let that simmer 5 more minutes.

Add the cream and half and half and remaining butter add the saffron liquid and flowers.Simmer 5-10 minutes

If you want it think it should be thick here already.  If you want it thinner add more half and half or water up to you or wine.  Or if you have a little more fish stock use that but don't use chicken stock that will mess up the flavor.

That's it serve with Sourdough or in small Sourdough Bowls.  Of course, I made fresh Foccacia

Bon Appetit.