White wine and whole topneck clams provide the sophisticated flavor in Walnut Creek Yacht Club‘s New England-style clam chowder, which has been on the menu since the downtown Walnut Creek restaurant opened 23 years ago.
During the spring lockdown, when the seafood restaurant pivoted to a soup house, chef Kevin Weinberg sold hundreds of liters of the chowder every week, frozen in quarts for fans to enjoy at home. They’ve reopened for outdoor dining so you can enjoy a bowl on the Aft Deck again.
Or make it at home. No fresh clams? No problem. “You can use this recipe with diced clams and clam juice and that would be just fine,” Weinberg says.
Walnut Creek Yacht Club’s Clam Chowder
Makes about 4 quarts
Ingredients
10 pounds topneck clams
2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons oil
½ pound center-cut bacon, diced
2½ cups diced yellow onion
2½ cups diced celery
1½ tablespoons fresh thyme
3 cups diced Idaho potatoes
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup flour
1½ quarts heavy cream
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
In a large pot, steam clams in white wine until they open, 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid. You should have at least 1½ quarts of liquid. If not, add water or canned clam broth/juice to make up the difference. Remove clams from shells and chop the same size as vegetables. Strain the broth again through a fine strainer or cheesecloth to remove any sand. Set aside.
Give the pot a quick rinse and dry — or use another large pot — then heat the oil. Add the bacon and sauté until brown. Add onion, celery, thyme and potatoes, Sauté until onions start to wilt, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the bacon and vegetables to a bowl and give the pot a quick rinse — or use another pot to prepare the chowder base: Melt butter over low heat and add flour, whisking to make a roux. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Slowly whisk in cream and strained clam juice, whisking the whole time you are adding the liquid to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then turn down heat. Simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.
Add the sautéed bacon and vegetables. Add salt and pepper. Add chopped clams and bring back to a simmer. If the chowder is too thick, you can thin it with a little milk. If too thin, simmer a little longer. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.
— Courtesy of Kevin Weinberg, Walnut Creek Yacht Club
