Marcus & Corey

Marcus & Corey

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Marcus Shares His Gluten Free/Dairy Free Clam Chowder Recipe!

Last night's GF Clam Chowder was a HUGE hit at my house. I've had to adjust my cooking a little bit since the wife has gone Gluten/Dairy free but it's been a fun adventure and really not that difficult. Obviously, this recipe isn't going to benefit from the luxurious taste of (way too much) butter and cream but what it lacks in that department it more than makes up for with a smokey/briny vibe from the bacon and clam juice. My 7-year-old daughter (head food critic) LOVED it and requested the leftovers for "hot lunch" at school the next day. I'm calling that a win. Scroll down for the ingredients, directions, and some "chef notes" that I put together to streamline your experience. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3-4 strips bacon cut into lardons
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 3 russet potatoes, diced
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 24oz clams (4 6oz cans)
  • 2-4 cups of clam juice (depends on how briny you like it!)
  • 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • 1-2 cans coconut milk (how creamy do you want it?).
  • 2 cups chicken stock or water
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  • Pre-heat a large pot (6-12 quart) and add olive oil
  • Fry bacon (stirring occasionally) and then remove to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add all vegetables and cook till soft (about 10 mins on medium-low, careful not to brown). Season with salt and pepper after about 2 mins when they start releasing some of their liquid. Crank the heat to medium and add thyme and stir in. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  • Add clam juice, coconut milk, and water and put the heat on medium high. Make a slurry with you cornstarch and 2 tbsp of water and add to the pot to thicken it up. BE CAREFUL not to add the cornstarch while your pot is bubbling, otherwise the cornstarch will cook into lumps and ruin your chowder. If your pot is bubbling, take it off the heat before you add your slurry.
  • Re-add the bacon (save some to garnish if desired) Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a hard simmer. Let the soup cook until the veg is soft and the desired thickness has been achieved. If you want thicker chowder, add more cornstarch. If it's too thick, add more water and re-season with salt and pepper.
  • Serve with bacon garnish and add diced green onions if desired. Enjoy!

Chef Notes:

  • The coconut milk is what gives you that creamy note without dairy. Don't worry, you're not gonna catch a coconut vibe on this soup, the brine of the clam juice is too strong. You MIGHT catch a coconut taste if you go with that second can.
  • The key to "no tears" when cutting onions is a sharp knife. When you cut with a sharp knife, it minimizes the destroyed onion cells and release of the gasses that make you cry. When you cut with a dull knife, it mangles the cells and opens up more avenues for more gasses. The other key is to keep the root intact, don't slice it off the end.
  • The big step that is missing is the use of butter and flour to make a roux to thicken the soup. Instead, we add cornstarch and water near the end. Feel free to add more as needed but make sure you bring it to a boil. The cornstarch needs to cook to thicken properly. In lieu of cornstarch, blend some of the potato and veg with an immersion blender. The potatoes will thicken the soup up nicely.

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