New England Clam Chowder

Yesterday I felt like going on a nostaligic tour of the 'historic capital' of the US, Boston. So the large clams on sale at the local market spraked off an idea... Many of my memories of Boston relate to the restaurants, like the delicious clam chowder served in the The Union Oyster House, the oldest eating place in town...

Preparation and cooking : 50 minutes

Ingredients for 8

16 clams

600 gr potatoes

2 onions

170 gr diced bacon

1 tin, (410 gr) concentrated, unsweetened milk

50 cl milk

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp corn flour

Persil (optional)

Salt, pepper

• Clean the clams. Put them in a pan of cold water, and then bring to the boil.
• Wait until the clams open.
• Take them out of the saucepan, and retain the liquid.
• Remove and retain the film (the skin which can be peeled easily) and seperate the flesh of the clams.
• Cut the bacon into small cubes, and lightly cook in a frying pan.
• In the same pan, brown the onions in the fat from the bacon.
• Cut the potatoes into small cubes.
• Mince the clam skin in a mixer.
• Add this to the onions and bacon, add the potatoes, and cover these ingredients with the cooking liquid from the clams.
• Cook for 10 minuutes on medium heat.
• Cut the flesh part of the clams into 3, add, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Pour in the concetrated milk.
• Mix the corn flour in milk before adding it to the soup, along with the butter, and season with salt and pepper.
• Stop cooking before the soup comes to the boil.
• Leave the soup to rest for 2 hours before serving hot.