American
Pacific NW Clam Chowder
Lighter, brinier, more herb-forward than its New England cousin — the West Coast's answer to the bowl.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
The Pacific Northwest version of clam chowder differs from New England's in meaningful ways: it tends to be lighter, less cream-heavy, more herb-forward, and uses local Manila clams, which are smaller, sweeter, and brinier than Atlantic littlenecks.
It also frequently incorporates fresh fennel and tarragon — flavors that reflect the French culinary influence on Pacific Northwest restaurant culture. It is no less satisfying than its Eastern counterpart, just different.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Manila clams, scrubbed (or 3 cans chopped clams + 2 cups clam juice)
- 3 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium fennel bulb, finely diced (fronds reserved)
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups clam broth (from steaming or bottled)
- 1 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and white pepper
Method
- 1
STEAM CLAMS: Steam Manila clams in ¾ cup white wine or water until just opened, 4–5 minutes. Discard any that don't open. Remove the meat from the shells and chop roughly. Strain and reserve all steaming liquid.
- 2
RENDER BACON: In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and leave the fat. Add onion, fennel, and celery and cook over medium heat 8–10 minutes until very tender and fragrant. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- 3
MAKE ROUX: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk, then cream, then clam broth (including the reserved steaming liquid). Bring to a simmer.
- 4
ADD POTATOES: Add potatoes and simmer 15–18 minutes until just tender.
- 5
FINISH: Add the chopped clams. Stir in tarragon, dill, and parsley, then lemon juice. Season with salt and white pepper. Do not boil after adding the clams.
- 6
Serve topped with reserved fennel fronds, crispy bacon, and a drizzle of good butter.
Substitutions
- Chef's tip: fresh fennel cooked until sweet plus fresh tarragon is the flavor signature that sets this chowder apart. Do not substitute dried tarragon — if you can't find fresh, use extra dill and a teaspoon of Pernod.
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