Clam Chowder

My sister loves me. I know this because she sent me a box of clams. In the mail. ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH JERSEY!!!



She called to let me know a box was coming and I had to get it in and open it as soon as it arrived. I said to her "Are you mailing me clams?" and, sure enough, she was!! A freakish guess!

So, the mail came a little early and there it was! Marked FRAGILE. In my head, I pronounced it Fraj- jee- lay, and wondered (for fun) if it was something fancy from Italy, but I knew it wasn't a leg lamp, so I let it go.

I cut thru the tape,threw all the packing inside to touch the clams. WHEW, they were still cool. None were even room temp. Amazing!! they had bubble wrap and newspaper.

And, FIVE ice packs!! plus the REAL crackers and a ziplock full of my birthday card, necklaces and beads.

These are the real crackers for your seafood stews and soups. They will break your teeth.

My goodies (aside from the obvious goodies in preceding pics)

So, I got them all rinsed and refreshed, then put the clams in the bottom of the fridge. Well, all of them but 10 fat ones, who got to take a nice salt water/cornmeal soak.

After purging (the salt water/cornmeal soak) for a couple of hours, I steamed the clams for about 10 minutes, then let cool. I put their liquid thru a seive and set it aside. Then, I made CLAM CHOWDER!!

10 steamer clams, steamed, and chopped when cool (discard shells, or try to give them to your friend Katy who is also from New Jersey and is jealous of your clams)
2 c clam liquid
1 c milk
1 c cream
1/2 white onion chopped
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced
2 slices of bacon, diced
1T cornstarch
fresh thyme (or whatever kind you have)

Cook onion and bacon together until bacon is crisp and onion translucent. Stir in cornstarch, cook while stirring one minute, then pour in 1 1/2c of the clam liquid (keep the extra). Add the potatoes and thyme, then add milk. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream and the clams, cooking on med-low until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use clam liquid for to thin as needed.

Serve with the tooth-breaking crackers.

  As for the rest of my clams, I had them steamed the next day, and then linguine with white clam sauce the next. So delicious! Thanks so much Bonnie!