Please clam down. I know, I know. I just made an awfully lame pun, but honestly, I still think its quite funny.

This soup is filled with creamy scallop and clam goodness. You will probably be drinking 2-3 big bowls of this before you want to stop.

Yield: 3-4

Time: 1-1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• Vegetables
  • 2 Celery stalks, diced
  • Half a large Carrot, diced
  • 1 cooking Onion, diced
  • 1 baking Potato, peeled (1/2 diced, ½ grated)
  • Garlic, chopped
• Meat
  • 4 slices of Bacon
• Seafood
  • 1lb Live Manila Clams, rinsed
  • 12-15 pieces of frozen or fresh Scallops, immersed in cold water for at least 30 mins (reserve “scallop water” for stock)
• Others
  • 1 tbsp of “Better Than Bouillon” paste (can substitute with 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 cup water instead of 2 cups water)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 tbsp of Oil
  • 1 cup White wine
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 5-2 cups Table Cream (18%)

Directions

1. In a medium-sized pot, sizzle bacon under medium-high heat until golden brown. Transfer bacon to a small dish lined with paper towel. Using the leftover bacon oil, sautee the celery, carrot, onion and potatoes for around 15 mins until vegetables are soft. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn heat down to low-medium.
2. Cut bacon into bits and add them to the vegetables.
3. Add bouillon paste into sautéed vegetables. Stir. Add water.
4. Meanwhile, heat another medium-sized pot-pan (with lid) with oil and chopped garlic under medium-high heat. When garlic starts to brown, add white wine. Bring to a rolling boil. Add clams and cover with lid until clams start to open. When clams are opened, add butter. Stir. Turn off heat. Discard any unopened clams.
5. Transfer the clams into a bowl, reserving the clam juice. Pour clam juice into vegetable stock. Add in reserved “scallop water”. Stir.
6. Add cream. Stir and bring to a soft boil by turning up heat to medium-high.
7. Meanwhile, take out clam meat from shells and chop into bite-sized pieces.
8. Add chopped clam meat and scallops into boiling pot. Stir and cook for 3-5 mins until scallops are opaque white, giving off a bouncy texture.
9. Taste chowder and season with salt and pepper.