New England Clam Chowder
A creamy New England-style clam chowder with bacon, potatoes and heavy cream, from The Rootitoot Cookbook.
Ingredients
| 4 | slices bacon, chopped | |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | butter |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | diced onion |
| 0.75 cup | 180 ml | diced celery |
| 0.5 cup | 120 ml | diced carrot (optional) |
| 2 | cloves garlic | |
| 3 | cans clams (6.5 oz each) | |
| 2.5 cup | 600 ml | clam juice or chicken broth |
| 3 cup | 720 ml | diced russet potatoes |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | Sherry or lemon juice |
| 0.5 tsp | 2.5 ml | salt |
| 0.25 tsp | 1.3 ml | pepper |
| 2 tsp | 10 ml | chopped fresh thyme |
| 1 | bay leaf | |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | heavy cream |
| 1.5 tbsp | 23 ml | cornstarch |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | water |
Instructions
- Press Saute on the Instant Pot and when the display says Hot, add the bacon. Saute until it just starts to crisp and then remove all but 1 Tbsp of the bacon fat. Add the butter, onions, celery and carrot, if using. Saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and immediately press Cancel.
- Drain the clams into a measuring cup and add enough extra clam juice or chicken broth to get to 3 1/2 cups. Set the clams aside for now and add the juice/broth to the pot. Deglaze the pot: scrape all the browned bits off the bottom into the broth. Add the potatoes, Sherry or lemon juice, the salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf.
- Close the pot and set the valve to Sealing. Push Pressure Cook (or Manual) and adjust time using the + and - buttons to get to 5 minutes. When it beeps that it's done, leave it for 2 minutes natural release. Flip the valve to Venting and when the pin drops, press Cancel and remove the lid.
- Use a potato masher to break up some of the potatoes. Press Saute and add the clams and cream. If you want a thicker chowder, mix the cornstarch and water into a smooth slurry and stir in about half of it. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly, to thicken. Add a little more of the slurry if you want it even thicker.
- Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. That's it. Serve with oyster crackers and a sprig of thyme.