It's really no surprise that New England is home to some of the best Clam Chowders in the world. And this recipe furthers the soup's reputation by spicing (or herbing) things up just a bit. Amy Traverso, who's Senior Food Editor at Yankee Magazine, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a chowder recipe that uses oregano and dill. It comes by way of the Pelham House resort on Cape Cod. Chef Dan Cote came up with the idea and uses the herbs to great effect. Now, so can you!
Yield:
8 servingsIngredients
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for cooking water
8 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 quart (four 8-ounce bottles) clam juice
2 cups chopped clam meat
2 cups light cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
Chopped fresh dill, for garnish
Instructions
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and add the potatoes. Cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes, then drain and set aside.
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pot and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery, dill, salt, and pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add the clam juice 1 cup at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the potatoes, clams, any liquid from the clams, and the cream. Simmer until the clams are firm, the chowder has thickened, and the flavors have combined, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if you’d like. Just before serving, add two-thirds of the cooked bacon and the oregano. Serve topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon and fresh dill.
