Classic Clam Chowder + Weekend Wrap Up

Hi there. Summer has been so busy as we are at the shore every weekend, and the last two weekends we have hosted friends which has been so much fun. I finally had a chance to read a bit on Sunday at the beach and fell promptly asleep! As much as I love entertaining it can be tiring. So, this post is a bit of a catch up post. I will be sharing my recipe for classic clam chowder or as our clams come from right off of Cockenoe Island I am officially calling the clam chowder recipe, Cockenoe Clam Chowder! I will get to that in a bit.

What is immediately on my radar is the fourth of July. We will host friends this Sunday for a BBQ and to watch the fireworks from the shore. I am thinking of making the best Mediterranean pasta salad to go with Mr. SB’s amazing ribs. I am searching for a good bar recipe that will withstand the heat and of course we will have s’mores as we always do. We toast the marshmallows on the fire pit. It should be a great weekend to celebrate! I will try to share next week (although I will be college touring again so it may be after that…).

So to get back to the clam chowder, Mr. SB discovered how to go clamming/oystering last summer. He even received his shell fishing license and bought all of the equipment (well Santa actually brought some of it). Of course he had to go clamming as soon as possible. We had so many oysters and clams (all delicious and so, so fresh) that I had about 8 cups extra. The clams you find on the East Coast can range from the softer shell steamers to what we call in RI, quahogs, which have a very hard shell and are generally quite meaty. They are perfect for chowder (I also love to steam them and dip into butter). So I used a basic soup recipe and added cream and of course the classic white pepper. I recommend buying white pepper if you do not have it as it makes a difference. Below is the recipe. Enjoy!

Cockenoe (Classic) Clam Chowder

Taste the ocean in this delectable and traditional New England clam chowder. Easy to make and freeze and the perfect use for any extra clams.
Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Clam Chowder, Cockenoe, New England Clam Chowder
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 7 pounds clams scrubbed and rinsed. I steam them first (7 cups includes the shells – there will be less once shells are removed)
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 bacon strips
  • 1 medium-size Spanish onion diced small
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 large red or yellow potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 cup heavy or light cream
  • 1 tsp white pepper (or to taste)

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot over high heat, add clams to water. Bring to a boil and cook just until clams open, about 10 minutes. Remove clams from broth and set aside. (Discard any clams that don't open.) Strain broth through a sieve lined with a coffee filter and set aside. Picture of my steamed clams below.
    Cockenoe Steamed Clams
  • Clean your soup pot; then, over medium-high heat, sauté bacon until it’s browned and fat is rendered. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a paper towel (you won’t use the bacon so use for something else). Add diced onion to pot and sauté until translucent.
  • Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, being careful not to brown. Whisk in reserved clam broth. Add potatoes and thyme, and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Remove clams from shells, reserving liquid, and chop roughly. Strain liquid; then add clams and liquid to pot. Stir in parsley and cream; cook just long enough to heat clams through, about 3 minutes.
    New England Clam Chowder Mixture
  • We love this chowder with fresh bread and a green salad.

Notes

Often we steam our clams ahead of time as after clamming we want to cook them right away.  This preparation also reduces the work time when you are making the chowder.  You could also pre cut your onion and potatoes so that the chowder comes together very quickly.  

Easy Thai Green Curry with Shrimp and Noodles

Easy Thai Curry with Shrimp and Noodles is such an easy and delicious recipe. It can also be made vegetarian by replacing the shrimp with tofu.

Thai curry is usually one of my favorite take-out foods. The creamy coconut curry sauce paired with shrimp really hits the spot. The coconut milk offers a sweetness that is complemented by the heat of the curry. Vegetables, that are not cooked too much, round out the dish adding some crunch and plenty of vitamins and fiber to make Thai curry healthy too.

When I make Thai Curry with Noodles at home, I like to pile the curry over a mound of Thai rice noodles or regular linguine or maybe rice. Then I add just a squeeze of lime, and some chopped, fresh cilantro. Perfection.

An Easy & Budget-friendly Recipe

It was a great surprise when I realized how easy and versatile Thai curry is to make at home. Making a take-out copy cat at home is especially helpful these days when we are not going out to dinner as frequently (or hardly at all!). Similar to a soup or stew Thai curry with noodles is also a great way to use up vegetables – carrots, celery, onions, and this time of year zucchini!

You can also adjust the heat level (spice wise) to your own tastes. Additionally, I love this recipe because it uses the stems of cilantro. I hate waste! The stems are full of flavor and while they may not work in a salad they are perfect for curry.

By the way green curry refers to the green chilies used in the sauce. While its origins are Thai, apparently it has been adapted by Thai expats to the rest of the world.

As a last note, I really like Maesri curry paste. If you have an Asian grocery story you should be able to find this brand of curry there for a reasonable price. It is also available on Amazon.

Ok, so how do you make easy Thai-curry noodles?

Thai-curry with shrimp and linguine

Easy Thai Curry with Shrimp and Noodles

Easy Thai Curry with Noodles tastes like my favorite Thai restaurant version but at half the price.
Print Pin
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Keyword: curry, dinner, easy, seafood, shrimp, tofu
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Cost: 15

Equipment

  • wok or frying pan
  • sauce pan
  • cutting board

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz linguine or asian noodles
  • 1 medium zucchini or as I note you can sub in other vegetables
  • 1 medium onion sliced thin
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of Maesri green curry paste or another curry paste of your choice.
  • ¼ cup of fresh cilantro stems chopped
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil I use avocado oil as it has a high heat point
  • 1 can of light coconut milk
  • 1 pound of uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined (if using tofu then chop into squares and drain liquid before adding to dish)
  • 2 limes for juice and garnish
  • A handful of fresh basil leaves Thai basil if you can find them – if not, standard basil leaves are tasty too.
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch (optional)

Instructions

Instructions:

  • Cook noodles, linguine or rice to instructions.
  • In a large wok or frying pan saute the onion in a tablespoon of oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove onions and garlic from pan.
  • Cook the curry paste and cilantro stems in oil over medium heat until very fragrant. Stir frequently. Remove and put aside with onion mixture.
  • Add another tablespoon of oil. Saute the zucchini until bright green (you do not want zucchini to be olive green and they will cook a bit more with the sauce so keep that in mind). If using other vegetables such as carrots, then cook accordingly (carrots will take longer to cook than zucchini).
  • Put all the cooked vegetables back in the pan. Add the coconut milk. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook about 2 minutes until thickened slightly.
  • Stir in shrimp and cook until opaque and pink
  • If sauce seems thin, add a teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Serve over choice of noodles, rice or linguine. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro leaves.