Legal Sea Foods

Jasper White’s Second To None Chowder
Jasper White let’s us in on the secret to his extraordinary clam chowder.

Jasper writes:

I once owned a summer cottage on Sawyer's Island in Maine. The little cove in front of the house, too small to be named on navigational charts, was called Clam Cove by the locals. I never did any clamming — fishing was my thing — but I have a vivid memory of the muddy flats at low tide, feeling the soft-shell clams under my feet and seeing their tiny sprays coming out of the mud as they burrowed down to get out of my way. Soft-shell clams have two oval shells, about two to three inches long, that gape along the edges. Their most prominent feature is a siphon, about a quarter of the length of the shell, which sticks out of the clam. Whole soft-shell clams are often referred to as "steamers," because that is the way they are most often prepared. When salty old-timers refer to "clams," soft-shells are what they mean. Shucked raw, soft-shell clams may be called "fryers" or "frying clams." Frying clams make a superb chowder, but they are very expensive because of the labor involved in shucking them.

I prefer to steam whole soft-shell clams for chowder. That way, I save a few dollars and get a fantastic broth in the process. The flavor of steamer broth is sweeter and more subtle and round than the pungent broth quahogs (hard-shell clams) yield. The chowder made from steamers may have a little less strength up front, but it is equal to quahog chowder in deep lingering flavor. To celebrate the difference, I use salt pork instead of bacon in steamer chowder, I don't add garlic, and I use fewer herbs and seasoning, letting the luscious little clams provide most of the flavor. And they always rise to the occasion, producing one of the most delicious chowders imaginable.

Ingredients:
  • 5 Pounds Small to Medium Soft-shell Clams (Steamers)
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 4 Ounces Meaty Salt Pork, Rind Removed and Cut into 1/3-Inch Dice
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Large Onion (10 to 12 Ounces), Cut into 1/2-Inch Dice
  • 2 Stalks Celery (4 Ounces), Cut into 1/3-Inch Dice
  • 2 to 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, Leaves Removed and Chopped (1 Teaspoon)
  • 2 Dried Bay Leaves
  • 1 1/2 Pounds Yukon Gold, Cut into 1/2-Inch Dice
  • 1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream (or up to 2 cups if desired)
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Kosher or Sea Salt, if needed
  • 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Chives
Preparation:
  1. Fill two large pots (or two sinks) with cold water. Place the clams in one pot of water, discarding any dead ones or clams with cracked shells. Gently move them around in the water and let them soak for a few minutes, then lift them out and place them in the other pot of cold water. Rinse the first pot and fill it again. Move the clams around again, then transfer them back to the clean pot. Continue to switch the clams back and forth, letting them soak for a few minutes each time, and then lifting them out of the pot, until the water remains crystal clear. The process should take four or five soakings.
  2. Put the 2 cups water in an 8-quart pot, cover, and bring to a rolling boil. Quickly but gently place the clams in the pot and cover again. After 4 minutes, remove the lid and quickly stir the clams with a wooden spoon, trying to lift some of the clams from the bottom to the top so they will cook evenly — but be gentle, the shells are very brittle and crack easily. Cover and continue to steam for another 4 to 5 minutes. (The broth will most likely overflow just as the clams have finished cooking.) All the clams should be open; if not, steam them a minute or two longer. Remove the clams and strain the broth; you should have 4 cups.
  3. When the clams are cool, remove them from the shells and cut off the siphons, as well as the protective skin that covers each siphon, and discard. (You should have about 1 pound of clam meat.) Cover and refrigerate until later.
  4. Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is crisp and golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish, leaving the fat in the pot, and reserve until later.
  5. Add the butter, onion, celery, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
  6. Add the potatoes and the reserved clam broth. The broth should just barely cover the potatoes; if it doesn't, add enough water to cover them. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, cover, and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. If the broth hasn't thickened lightly, smash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and cook a minute or two longer to release the starch.
  7. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the clams and the cream and season to taste with black pepper and possibly a pinch of salt (the saltiness of steamers varies). If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
  8. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don't let it boil. Try not to stir too often, because you don't want to break open the clam bellies. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (200°F) for a few minutes.
  9. Ladle the chowder into cups or bowls, making sure that the steamers, onions, and potatoes are evenly divided. Scatter the cracklings over the individual servings and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and minced chives.
Servings: Makes about 11 cups; serves 10 to 12 as a first course or 6 to 8 as a main course.

Cook's Notes
Soft-shell clams are native to the Atlantic seaboard from Cape Hatteras to the Arctic Ocean, but they have been transplanted to the West Coast and can be found there from San Francisco to Vancouver, Canada. The best steamers are found at lobster or other seafood vendors along the coast, who keep them in tanks. The constant flow of water purges them of most of their sand, making them very easy to clean. You can have fresh soft-shell clams shipped directly to you*, but they are very delicate — expect to find many with cracked shells. Buy the smallest steamers possible; the very large ones are even more delicate and their bellies break open easily, giving the chowder an undesirable green tinge.

If you have been fortunate enough to find really small steamers, you have the option of leaving the siphon attached, but you will have to peel the skin off it. With large soft-shell clams, the siphon is very chewy and must be removed, but with small ones, it's less noticeable and the little specks of black at the tip give an unusual and interesting appearance to the chowder.
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