A delicious twist on steamed clams, this Bacon, Potato, And Corn Chowder-ed Clams Recipe is topped with a sauce inspired by corn chowder made by mixing crisp bacon, sweet corn kernels, a cream corn reduction, and tons of fresh parsley.
1poundbaby potatoes(if you can only find larger baby potatoes, go ahead and halve them)
6garlic clovesthinly sliced
1cupdry white winesuch as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
1cupfinely chopped flat Italian parsley
Instructions
Clean The Clams: Place the clams in salted cold water and let sit for 10 to 20 minutes (or even up to overnight). Once the clams have soaked, wash and scrub the clams thoroughly. Tap on all any opened clam shells to make sure they're still alive. Discard any clams that don't close.
Milk The Corn: Meanwhile, remove the corn kernels from the corn cobs then milk the corn. To milk the corn, place the end of a cob on a cutting board and scrape along the length of the cob with the back of a butter knife. As you do that a starchy, sweet "milk" will come out, which will add a lot of flavor to this dish!
Reduce The Cream: Combine the cream, the corn "milk," and milked corn cobs (halved if needed to fit in the pan) in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until reduced by 1/3 (to about 1/2 cup), about 15 minutes total. Once the cream is reduced, remove from heat, discard the corn cobs (but not the corn "milk"), and set the reduced cream aside until ready to use.
Crisp The Bacon: Meanwhile, add the bacon to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid and heat over medium heat. Cook uncovered until bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.Alternatively, place the bacon strips in the oven and 400°F and cook until crisp then crumble it into the final dish. We prefer it this way because it makes for more even bacon flavor but either way works!
Make The "Chowder" Base: Return the pot with the 1 tablespoon of bacon fat to the stove over medium heat. Add the butter, onion, add some freshly ground black pepper, and cook until translucent about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and potatoes cook until the potatoes just start to soften, about 10 minutes.
Steam The Clams: Stir in the wine, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the clams to pot (facing upward if possible) and cook until clams open, about 8 to 12 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open and remove clams to serving bowls.
Finish The Dish: Stir the reserved corn kernels into the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and reduced cream (without the corn cobs) and taste. Season the juices in the pan with salt and pepper as desired. Spoon the potatoes, corn, and sauce over the clams, top with the reserved bacon, and serve immediately.