New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 2kg live clams, such as quahogs or littlenecks
• 250ml water
• 120g salt pork or streaky bacon, finely diced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 700g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm dice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 400ml whole milk
• 250ml double cream
• Black pepper, to taste
• Small handful chives, snipped
• Oyster crackers or saltines, to serve

Before you cook

• Scrub the clams under cold running water and discard any that stay open when tapped
• Soak the clams in cold salted water for 20 minutes to purge grit, then lift them out rather than pouring them out
• Dice the salt pork, onions and celery finely
• Peel and dice the potatoes and hold them in cold water

Steps

1. Put the clams and the 250ml of water in a large pot, cover it, and steam over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the shells open.
2. Tip the clams into a colander set over a bowl so you keep every drop of the liquor, and discard any that stayed shut.
3. Pull the clam meat from the shells, chop it coarsely, and strain the collected liquor through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper.
4. Render the diced salt pork in the rinsed pot over medium-low heat for 8 minutes until the fat runs and the pieces are golden.
5. Add the butter, onions and celery and cook for 8 minutes until soft with no colour.
6. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes to lose the raw taste.
7. Pour in the strained clam liquor plus enough water to make 750ml, whisking to keep it smooth.
8. Add the drained potatoes, the bay leaves and the thyme, then simmer gently for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender at the centre.
9. Crush a few pieces of potato against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the chowder naturally.
10. Pour in the milk and cream and bring the pot back to a bare steam, never letting it boil.
11. Stir in the chopped clams and heat them through for 2 minutes only, so they stay tender.
12. Season with black pepper and taste before adding any salt, since the clams and pork bring plenty.
13. Let the chowder sit off the heat for 10 minutes to settle, then serve with chives and crackers.