Spicy Clam and Corn Chowder

Name: Spicy Clam and Corn Chowder
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 lager beer; 4 Tbsps 1/2 stick butter; 3 small ribs celery with leafy tops, chopped; 946 milliliters chicken stock; 2 jalapeno or Fresno chiles, chopped or thinly sliced; 4 larges ears corn on the cob, kernels cut off and cobs scraped; 3 English muffins, chopped into bite-size cubes; 1 Tbsp EVOO; 2 fresh bay leaves; 2 Tbsps fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 2 Tbsps fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, chopped; 3 to 4 heirloom tomatoes, chopped; 2 Tbsps hot sauce; 4 servings Hot sauce, for serving; 151 grams lean bacon, chopped; 2 kilograms littleneck clams, scrubbed; 1 red onion, chopped; 4 servings Sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay; 2 Tbsps seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Spicy Clam and Corn Chowder a try. This recipe serves 4. One portion of this dish contains approximately 33g of protein, 23g of fat, and a total of 557 calories. This recipe covers 33% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. A mixture of seafood seasoning, garlic, muffins, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so flavorful. To use up the beer you could follow this main course with the Guinness, Whiskey & Irish Cream Cupcakes as a dessert.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

For the chowder: In a soup pot or a Dutch oven, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat.

Ingredients you will need

Soup

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Equipment you will use

Dutch Oven

Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Bacon

Add the corn and cook until the kernels are lightly browned at the edges, 6 to 8 minutes.

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Corn

Add the seafood seasoning, thyme, garlic, celery, bay leaves, chiles and onions, and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat.

Ingredients you will need

Seafood Seasoning

Chicken Stock

Bay Leaves

Tomato

Celery

Chili Pepper

Garlic

Onion

Thyme

For the croutons: Arrange the English muffin cubes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light golden. Melt the butter with the hot sauce.

Ingredients you will need

English Muffin

Hot Sauce

Croutons

Butter

Toast

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Baking Sheet

Wire Rack

Oven

Place the croutons in a bowl and toss with the parsley, seafood seasoning and the butter mixture. Return to the rack set over the baking sheet and bake until deeply golden.

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Seafood Seasoning

Croutons

Parsley

Butter

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Baking Sheet

Oven

Bowl

Let cool.

Place the clams and beer in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, and season with sea salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then cook at a rapid simmer until the clams open, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.

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Salt And Pepper

Clams

Beer

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Pot

Divide the clams and the cooking liquid among 4 shallow bowls. Ladle the corn chowder over top and garnish with the croutons.

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Corn Chowder

Croutons

Clams

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Bowl

Ladle

Serve with hot sauce.

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Hot Sauce

Cook's Notes: You can make the chowder base up to 5 days ahead. Cool and store in the refrigerator, then reheat over a medium flame. Buy the clams within 48 hours of serving and cook them just before you're ready to serve.

Ingredients you will need

Base

Clams

You can store the croutons in an airtight container or in a foil pouch until ready to use.

Ingredients you will need

Croutons

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Equipment

Recommended wine: Chardonnay, Muscadet, Riesling

Chardonnay, Muscadet, and Riesling are great choices for Clams. Buttery chardonnay is great for scallops, shrimp, crab, and lobster, while muscadet is a classic pick for mussels, oysters, and clams. If you've got some spice in your shellfish, a semi-dry riesling can balance out the heat. The Hahn Winery Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay with a 4.1 out of 5 star rating seems like a good match. It costs about 17 dollars per bottle.