New England Clam Chowder for #FishFridayFoodies

This is the second month for Fish Friday Foodies and I am happy to be back with all of my fish and seafood loving friends to share our dishes with you.

We have decided that each month we will have a new host who will choose a theme for the rest of us to follow.  This month my friend, Stacy of Food Lust People Love, volunteered to host and chose the theme: Seafood Soups and Stews of the World.

Here is Stacy's announcement:

Our theme for chilly February is seafood stews and soups of the world. Just to name a few: bouillabaisse, bourride, cioppino, caldo de mariscos, courtbouillon, (<That's a Cajun one - already on my blog so someone else is welcome to make it.) chowder, bisque, Mae-un tang, Shui Zhu Yu, Tom Yum, etc. Let's take a world tour together one comforting hot bowl at a time!

So as you can see we are in for some great recipes this month.  I, for one, am very excited!! I stuck to my own country, the USA, but went to the east coast for my recipe.  Maine, to be exact.  When Frank's sister took a trip out East she brought back a wonderful cookbook called Maine Ingredients that was put together by the Junior League of Portland, Maine.

Presenting New England Clam Chowder adapted from Maine Ingredients.

New England Clam Chowder

adapted from Maine Ingredients

4 small potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced.

1 stick butter

1/2 small, sweet onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 leek, white and green parts, sliced in half, rinsed well and chopped

2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

2/3 c. flour

4 (8 oz) bottles clam juice

4 c. half and half

2 c. dry white wine, divided

2 (5 oz) baby clams in their juices

1 or 2 fresh Little Neck Clams per person, well scrubbed 

1 t. dried tarragon

1/2 t. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large pot over med high heat.  Add onion, celery, leeks and scallions.  Cook and stir 3-4 minutes, until vegetables soften.  Add the flour and cook, stirring for 2 more minutes so the raw taste is gone,  Reduce heat and whisk in the clam juice stirring constantly.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the half and half and 1 c. of the wine.  Add the baby clams, their juices and the potatoes.  Stir in the tarragon and thyme.  Gently simmer until ready to serve, do not allow to boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

While soup is simmering, place the Little Neck Clams and the other cup of white wine into a large skillet over med high heat, cover and bring to a boil for a few minutes.  The clams are done when the shells pop open. Discard any clams that did not open.

Place one or 2 clams, in their shells, into shallow bowls and ladle the soup over the clams to serve. Print Recipe

Would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies?  We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month.  To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517@gmail.com.

Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood recipe ideas.

Seafood Soups and Stews from Around the World

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