Rhode Island Clam Chowder
By: Tracy Koslicki
Published: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 - 8:49am

Ingredients




1-2 lbs of fresh clams, steamed and chopped (instructions to follow)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon of olive oil, divided.  1/2 for steamed clams, 1/2 for celery and onion
2 red potatoes, chopped
2 slices of bacon, fried crispy and crumbled
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons of salt
pepper to taste
2 cups of water, or clam juice (less salt if using clam juice)

Preparation

1 Clean clams by rinsing them well and placing them in a bowl filled with water and sprinkled with ground pepper.  Let sit for 1 hour.  After the hour, scoop out clams with a slotted spoon (do not pour into a colander, sand will have rested to the bottom of the bowl), rinse again, and scrub the outside of the shells to remove any last bits. 2 In a large saute pan on medium, heat 1/2 a tablespoon of olive oil and saute garlic for 1 – 2 minutes.  Add white wine and cook for about 2 – 3 minutes.  Add clams and cover pan.  Let cook / steam for 8-10 minutes until clams are opened. Remove clams from pan and discard any clams that have not opened.  Clean clams out of shells, give a quick chop on a cutting board, and set aside. 3 In a medium pot, heat remaining olive oil on medium and add onions and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally for about 6 minutes.  Add clams, crumbled bacon, potatoes, thyme, and then clam juice +/ water, enough to cover all ingredients.  Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt and fresh ground pepper.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are soft, approximately 30 minutes. 4 Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. 5 Serve and enjoy!

About

Who knew there was a 3rd line of Clam Chowders??  This Rhode Island Clam Chowder is a clear broth, and healthier version of the classic New England soup!