Recipe: Ragoût de Palourdes

Tonight ragoût de palourdes was on the menu, otherwise known as Clam Chowder. At the bastille yesterday a man was selling the most delicious looking little clams. I was inspired. We bought a kilo and have been coming up with various meals we could make with them since yesterday. Clam chowder felt right for today, as it's been raining on and off since early this morning - we needed something cozy. We got some fresh herbs and other ingredients at the market and I whipped them up into a steamy pot full of creamy clam chowder. Here's the recipe if you're interested:

Ragoût de Palourdes
6 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ribs celery, diced finely

1 onion, peeled and diced finely

1/2 cup white wine (I used a buttery chardonnay)   

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup water

1 cup clam drippings (add water to make 1 cup if needed)

4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
2 dried bay leaves (or one fresh)
5 large sprigs fresh thyme
2 pounds fresh quahog clams,
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a large frying pan heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add clams to the pan and cook for a minute until they begin to open up. This happens very quickly so don't let the pan stay on the heat for long, all you're doing here is opening up the shells so that you can pull the meat out. 

When all the clams have opened up use your fingers to pull the fleshy meat out from the shell putting it in a bowl and setting aside. Save the pan drippings in a separate bowl. 

In a large pot cook bacon till crisp and fat has rendered over medium high heat. Remove bacon to a plate and set aside, leaving grease in hot pot. Add onion and celery and cook until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes stirring. Deglaze the pot with wine scraping up the browned bits of fond stuck to the bottom of the pot. Turn heat down to medium and add 1 tablespoon of butter, melt, sprinkle flour over the onion and celery, allowing the butter to absorb it, creating a roux. Cook stirring 1 - 2 minutes. Add clam drippings and water to pot stirring, turn heat back up to medium high, bring mixture to a boil. Add bay leafs, thyme, and potatoes, cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Add milk and allow mixture to thicken. Add clams, butter and bacon, finish soup with plenty of seasoning. Enjoy with crusty french bread.