COCONUT CLAM CHOWDER - Roy Choi

 There are so many bad clam chowders out there, but clam chowder isn’t just some ubiquitous bowl of sludge in a Crock-Pot at your local market. It should be something otherworldly. More than that, making clam chowder is a lesson in cooking: it teaches you how to build and layer flavors, and it’s a gateway to making different types of cream-based soups. It’s a lesson in enjoying those flavors, too.

SERVES 3 OR 4 AS AN APPETIZER OR 2 OR 3 AS THE MAIN COURSE

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 ounces pancetta, minced

2 tablespoons minced onions

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 tablespoons finely diced celery

2 tablespoons minced lemongrass

¼ cup white wine

¼ cup all-purpose flour

One 6½-ounce can chopped clams with juice

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup milk

2 cups water

4 ounces Idaho potatoes, peeled, finely diced, and boiled for 4 to 5 minutes, then held in a bowl of ice water

¾ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons green curry paste

Juice of ½ lime

10 Manila clams in shells, washed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Red chile flakes

Fresh Thai basil

Fresh rau ram (Vietnamese coriander) or tarragon

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. About 30 seconds after the oil just starts to smoke, add the pancetta. Cook the pancetta until it’s light brown in color and some of its fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, shallot, celery, and lemongrass and sauté until they are nicely cooked but still have integrity, about 1 minute.

Deglaze the pot with the white wine and cook to reduce by half. Add the flour, stirring constantly for about a minute, until the liquid thickens up a bit.

Add the chopped clams and their juice, the milks, and the water. Whisk out all the lumps, bring to a very gentle boil, and simmer for 30 minutes. Then add the potatoes and the cream, whisk in the green curry paste, and add the lime juice. Throw in the Manila clams and cover the pot.

As soon as the clams open (in 2 or 3 minutes; toss any clams that don’t open), remove the cover and cook for just a little bit as you season the chowder with salt and pepper.

Finish with chile flakes and herbs to taste.

POUR A BOWL FOR YOURSELF AND ONE FOR THE HOMIES.