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- 1 1/2 kg (31⁄4lb) fresh clams, washed, tapped and open or damaged ones discarded
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 4 sticks celery, sliced diagonally
- 3 medium potatoes - around 450g (1lb) - such as Maris Piper, diced
- 25 g (1oz) plain flour
- 75 ml (3fl oz) bourbon whiskey
- 284 ml carton double cream
- 1 level tbsp freshly chopped thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Step 1
Put the clams in a large pan with 300ml (1⁄2 pint) cold water, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Steam for 1-2min or until all the shells have opened. Drain, reserving the cooking liquor, then cool a little and remove clams from the shells, discarding any that remain closed. Chill the clams until needed and set aside the shells for use as decoration if you like.
- Step 2
Heat the oil in the same pan, add the onions, carrots, celery and potatoes and cook gently for 5min. Stir in the flour and cook for a further 2min.
- Step 3
Put the whiskey in a ladle and heat the base directly over a flame until the spirit ignites. Pour over the vegetables. Add the reserved clam cooking liquor, double cream, chopped thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook gently for 20min or until the vegetables have softened.
- Step 4
Add clams, then cook for 2–3min to heat them through. Pour into bowls and garnish with the reserved shells if you like.
Try more chowder recipes:
Smoked cod and sweetcorn chowder
Creamy corn and smoked haddock chowder
Healthy fish chowder
Creamy mussel chowder
To freeze
After step 3, remove the bay leaves and cool in a freezerproof container. Put the clams in a separate container and freeze both for up to one month. Thaw at cool room temperature for 3–4hr. Heat the soup in a covered pan until boiling, then simmer for 2–3min. Add the clams and heat through.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 340
- Total carbs: 22 g
- Total fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
A crack team of highly skilled food content producers, the GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time.
