Published April 12, 2007.
For an uncomplicated clam chowder recipe that was not too thin and watery or too thick and floury, we settled on canned clams. We chose waxy red boiling potatoes over starchy ones, which tended to disintegrate in the chowder. We found that thickening with flour was the way to go; it also helped to stabilize the chowder, which can easily separate and curdle without it. Cream turned out to be essential, but our clam chowder recipe needed only a minimal amount, which gave our chowder richness without overpowering the flavor of the clams. Finally, we chose bacon rather than salt pork, a traditional component of chowder, to enrich the flavor with a subtle smokiness.
Use the additional amount of cream if you prefer a thicker clam chowder.
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