6 Minute Meals: Chef Garces Clam Chowder

We know Mondays can be tough.

So, we're starting a new Monday morning feature for you: top notch, restaurant quality meals you can make at home.

We kick it off with Iron Chef Jose Garces and his quick take on clam chowder. Watch the 6-minute version on Action News Mornings - the video will be posted above shortly.

If you'd like to leave the work to the pros, Chef Garces is offering our viewers a $5 clam chowder special at 'The Olde Bar' in Old City through this Sunday, January 21, 2018. Just mention you saw the clam chowder recipe on Action News!

CLAM CHOWDER

Serves 4 as a main course

This is the Chef's restaurant recipe. It requires some prep work over the weekend.

Time-saving tips are noted below to reduce your weekday cook time to just 6 minutes.

Ingredients (Time Saving Tip: pre-cut and store bacon and vegetables)

1/2 LB BACON, SMALL DICED

1 ONION, SMALL DICED

1 LEEK, SMALL DICED

2 STALKS CELERY, SMALL DICED

2 POTATO, SMALL DICED

1 RED PEPPER, SMALL DICED

12 LARGE CLAMS (Time Saving Tip: buy, pre-cooked & chopped clams)

3 CUPS CLAM JUICE

WHITE WINE

CUP HEAVY CREAM

CUP BUTTER

CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

CHIVES (OPTIONAL GARNISH)

POTATO CHIPS SMASHED INTO LARGE CRUMBS (OPTIONAL GARNISH)

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE POTATO: (Time Saving Tip: Pre-prepare over the weekend or buy pre-cooked.)

IN A SMALL POT, ADD POTATOES AND COVER WITH WATER. ADD 1 TABLESPOON OF SALT. PLACE ON THE STOVE AND BRING TO A BOIL. ALLOW TO BOIL UNTIL POTATOES ARE TENDER, ABOUT 3-5 MINUTES. STRAIN OUT POTATOES AND LAY ON A SMALL SHEET PAN TO COOL. RESERVE.

FOR THE CLAMS: (Time Saving Tip: Use pre-cooked & chopped clams from your grocery store)

CLEAN THE CLAMS BY SOAKING IN 1 GALLON OF WATER AND 1 CUP OF SALT. MIX AND ALLOW TO SIT FOR 30 MINUTES. REMOVE CLAMS WITHOUT DUMPING THE WATER. PLACE CLEANED CLAMS INTO A SMALL POT AND COVER WITH THE CLAM JUICE. COVER, AND OVER HIGH HEAT, BRING TO A BOIL OR UNTIL CLAMS OPEN. CAREFULLY REMOVE CLAMS AND ALLOW TO COOL. STRAIN OUT ANY SAND FROM CLAM JUICE AND RESERVE. ONCE COOL CUT CLAMS INTO SMALL PIECES. SET ASIDE FOUR WHOLE CLAMS FOR GARNISH.

FOR THE CHOWDER: (If cooking your own clams, make the chowder while the clams are cooking)

1. WARM A LARGE SAUCE POT OVER MEDIUM HEAT. (Time Saving Tip: Cook on High heat & add more oil if it starts to stick)

2. ADD BUTTER OR OLIVE OIL AND BACON AND ALLOW THE BACON TO RENDER.

3. ADD THE ONION, CELERY, LEEKS & RED PEPPER. SEASON WITH SALT AND COOK UNTIL TEN-DER

4. ONCE VEGETABLES ARE SWEATED, TURN DOWN HEAT, ADD A SPLASH OF WHITE WINE, BUT-TER, FLOUR AND HEAVY CREAM. STIR TO COMBINE A ROUX. COOK FOR 2 MINUTES

5. ADD CLAM JUICE (AND JUICE FROM THE COOKING CLAMS IF AVAILABLE). ADD PRE-PREPARED DICED POTATOES AND CHOPPED CLAMS. SALT & PEPPER IF NEEDED.

6. LADLE CLAM CHOWDER INTO BOWL. GARNISH, IF DESIRED, WITH A FRESH COOKED WHOLE CLAM, CHIVES & SMASHED UP POTATO CHIPS FOR A LITTLE EXTRA CRUNCH

7. SERVE & ENJOY

Enjoy.

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