Does anyone have a recipe that tastes similar to Skipper’s Clam Chowder? I would love to have one!
This isn’t Skippers’ but it was touted the best ever clam chowder, so try it and see if it’s at least close to Skippers.
Skipjack’s Clam Chowderfrom November 2000 Bon Appétit
Three 8-oz bottles of clam juice
One pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks (resist the urge to use Yukon Gold potatoes)
Two tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
Three slices bacon, finely chopped (I use thick, hammy deli bacon – use six slices of bacon if you’re using the thin, pre-packaged stuff)
Two cups chopped onions (about one large yellow onion)
Three stalks (about 1-1/4 cups) of celery with leaves, chopped
Five garlic cloves, minced
One bay leaf
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Six 6-1/2 oz cans minced clams, drained, juices reserved (chopped clams are fine – I use minced because Kris doesn’t like large, rubbery clam chunks)
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
One teaspoon hot pepper sauce (we use TapatÃo, but you might prefer Tabasco)
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon hickory smoke salt (hard-to-find, but great flavor!)
At the top of my recipe card I’ve written, in bold: NOTE: Prepare ingredients before starting! Experienced, or quick, cooks can ignore this advice. I’m neither experienced nor quick. If I don’t prepare the ingredients before starting the chowder, it’s a disaster.
Bring the bottled clam juice and potatoes to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about ten minutes). Remove from heat.
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon begins to brown (about 8-10 minutes). Add onions, celery, garlic, and bay leaf. Sauté until vegetables soften, about six minutes.
Stir in flour and cook two minutes. Do not allow flour to brown.
Gradually whisk in reserved juices from clams. Add potato mixture, calms, half-and-half, hickory smoke salt, and hot pepper sauce. Simmer chowder to blend flavors, stirring frequently.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Chowder can be served after as few as ten minutes of simmering, or it can sit on the stove contentedly for hours.
~Lisa
Thanks Lisa. Working on it now. 