Clam, chorizo and charred corn chowder is a creamy, comforting dish. The shellfish with the smoky chorizo and charred corn, create an amazing flavour, that will leave you wanting seconds! Serve with some crusty bread and you are on to a simple yet crowd pleasing dish. Ready for delicious, let us show you how to recreate this creamy clam chowder recipe, enjoy!
We think you'll love this creamy clam chowder recipe for its flavour and simplicity. A hearty dish that's simple to whip up and a great way to feed a crowd. Perfect on its own or serve along side our fennel and lemon marinated fish and roasted heirloom carrot salad for a delicious feast!
Jump to:
Ingredients for clam chowder
- Fresh clams - find out what's available and sustainable in your region. Mussels, pippi's, tua tua, prawns and fish would all work well in this dish too.
- Canola oil - or your preferred non flavoured oil.
- Garlic
- Celery
- Chorizo sausage - this brings a great flavour to the dish so choice a good quality one.
- Potatoes - standard white potatoes work well.
- Butter, plain flour and milk - for creating the soup base.
- Sweet corn kernels - frozen work best for this recipe.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional garnish and sides - parsley, lemon, crusty bread
Find full measurements in recipe card below.
How to make clam chowder
Follow our simple steps to recreate this delicious dish:
- Prepare then steam open the clams - To prepare the clams purge (soak) them in water overnight. To cook place a large pot on a high heat and add the clams with 100ml of water, cover and allow them to steam open. This should take 2-3 minutes but allow a few for minutes for any that don't open. Then remove the clams and discard any that remain closed, reserve the cooking liquid.
- Create the chowder base - over a medium heat cook the onion, garlic, celery and chorizo, until the onion in translucent and then add the potatoes.
- Add the liquids - Add the butter and melt, then stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes on a medium heat. Add the reserved clam cooking liquid and slowly add the milk, allowing the liquid to thicken. Turn to a low heat and simmer, until the potatoes are soft.
- Finish the dish - In a frying pan, char the frozen sweetcorn over a high heat until golden in colour. Remove the meat from a third of the clams, add them and the charred corn to the soup. Taste and season. Then plate the the chowder dress with the remaining shelled clams and garnish with parsley and lemon.
Served with crusty bread and enjoy!
How to select fresh shellfish
Its great when you can go into your local fish shop or supermarket and they have live tanks filled with fresh shellfish. We love to choose from a whole range of New Zealand Kai Moana (seafood). With a delicious range of shellfish, fresh oysters, mussels, pippi's, tua tua, storm clams on offer here.
When you are purchasing shellfish there are a couple of things to look out for. Make sure that the shells are intact and not broken, they should smell of the fresh sea. Give them a tap and they should close. And pick them up, they should have a good weight to them.
We also recommend getting to know your local fish monger/supplier. Ask when and where the produce was harvested and find out what's fresh and sustainable in your region.
You might also love...
Preparing and cooking shellfish
Before you cook shellfish, you should purge the shells in fresh water over night, this helps the shellfish expel any sand. Always give your shell fish a wash in fresh water. With mussels scrub off any barnacles and remove the beards prior to cooking
You can cook shellfish in many ways but the main way is to steam in a pot with a little garlic, onion and wine, or put them into a soup or stew and let them open as your dish is simmering.
If steaming a great tip is to reserve the liquid after the shells have opened. Strained this make a perfect base for seafood soups or tews.
If the shells don't open during the cooking process, they may need a little more cooking but as a general rule they should all open around the same time. Those that don't open are no good, always discard unopened shellfish.
Frequently asked questions
To create a thick creamy chowder our recipe uses butter, flour and then slowly added milf to add liquid and then thicken the soup.
There are various regional types of chowder. But the main three varieties are based on the American states they are famous for the most popular one being the creamy/ milk based New England chowder, the clear broth chowder from Rhode Island or the newer New York red, tomato based chowder.
A chowder should be thick, simmer until the liquid coats the back of a spoon.
This creamy clam chowder recipe is simple yet full of flavour. A delicious, comforting dish that your friends and family will love.
Love this dish? Please leave us a review below. And come join us on social, tag us in your delicious photos Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Hungry for more deliciousness? Subscribe to our newsletter, to receive our latest e-recipe book and never miss another ATK recipe!
Our goal is to share simple, tasty dishes created by Chef Shane and partner, Sara. Using Shane's understanding of flavours and knowledge of food, to teach and inspire you to create delicious food everyday and gain a new level of confidence in the kitchen. Sara understands what it's like preparing weekly dinners for a busy family of five and likes to create dishes that are easy, full of flavour and that the whole family will enjoy.
Happy cooking!
Recipe
Creamy clam chowder
Ingredients
- 1 kg Fresh clams (2.2 lbs)
- 40 ml Canola oil (1.3 fl oz)
- 1 Onion Finely diced
- 4 Garlic cloves Crushed
- 1 Celery stick Diced
- 1 Chorizo sausage Thinly sliced
- 2 Potatoes medium Peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
- 80 g Butter (2.8 oz)
- 65 g Plain flour (2.2 oz)
- 800 ml Milk (27 fl oz)
- 20 ml Canola oil (0.6 fl oz)
- 100 g Corn kernels (3.5 oz) Frozen
- Salt and pepper To taste
Optional toppings/ sides
- Parsley To garnish
- Lemon wedges To garnish
- Crusty loaf of bread To serve
Instructions
- To prepare the fresh clams, make sure to purge the clams with fresh water over night. This will help the clams spit out any sand.
- Heat a large pot on a high heat, add the fresh clams and 100ml of water. Cover and allow the clams to steam open. This will take about 2-3 minutes.Once the clams have opened, remove them from the pot and strain the liquid through a fine sieve.
- Remove the meat from a third of the clams. Keep the remaining clams in the shells for garnish.
- In a large pot add the canola oil and place onto a medium heat, add the diced onion, crushed garlic, diced celery and diced chorizo. Cook until the onion has become translucent, being careful not to colour too much.
- Add the diced potatoes and stir through.
- Add the butter and allow to melt.
- Add the flour and stir into the butter and cook on a medium heat for a couple of minutes.
- Add the reserved clam liquid and stir until it thickens. Add the milk a ¼ at a time, allow to thicken after adding each ¼. Once all the milk is added turn to a low heat and allow to gently simmer until the potatoes are soft.
- Grab a frying pan and add canola oil, place onto a high heat and add the frozen corn kernels, fry the corn kernels until they are charred and golden in colour.
- Add the de shelled clams to the soup, also add the charred corn.
- Check the taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the clams that are in the shells to your serving bowls and ladle over the clam chowder. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm crusty bread.
Sam
Love clam chowder and this recipe was delicious and really easy to follow we will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing.