Ingredients
- 48 small clams, like littleneck or Manila, well rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups diced onion
- 2 cups diced leek
- Salt and pepper
- Pinch cayenne
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large thyme sprig
- 6 ounces thick-sliced smoked bacon
- 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ pound spinach, cooked briefly, squeezed dry and chopped
- 8 tablespoons crème fraîche
- Zest of one small lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
421 calories; 19 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 53 milligrams cholesterol; 695 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
6 servings
Preparation
- Put clams in a large deep skillet and add 4 cups water. Cover tightly with lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue cooking until all clams have opened, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and let clams cool. Shuck clams, discarding shells, and reserve in small bowl. Strain broth through a fine-meshed sieve. You should have about 3 1/2 cups clam juice. Keep warm over low heat.
- Put olive oil and butter in a wide heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and leek, season with salt, pepper and cayenne, and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add celery, bay leaves and thyme sprig and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Cut bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch lardons. Simmer lardons for 2 minutes, then drain. Add lardons to soup pot, along with potatoes. Season generously, stir to coat and cook for 1 minute.
- Add 3 1/2 cups warm clam broth and bring pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Check seasoning.
- Just before serving, add reserved shucked clams, stir in spinach and heat through. Stir together crème fraîche and lemon zest and season to taste. Ladle soup into wide bowls. Add a tablespoon of crème fraîche mixture to each bowl and sprinkle with dill and scallions.
1 hour
Dining and Cooking