Tomato Clam Bisque

This recipe highlights the harmony of briny clams and sweet, acidic tomatoes. It's sort of a hybrid between a tomato-based chowder and a brothy tomato clam soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 271kcal

Author Craig Fear

Cost $25

Ingredients

3 dozen littleneck clams scrubbed and rinsed clean, or 3 cans canned clams
2 cups water
2 TBSPs butter unsalted
1 large onion
2-3 scallions
¼ cup white rice
2 cups clam juice
1 14 ounce can tomatoes
1 TBSP tomato paste
¾ of reserved clams
½ - 1 cup heavy cream
¼ of reserved clams

Optional seasonings, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper
Basil
Parsley
Chives
Red pepper flakes
Thyme

Instructions

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a 5-6 quart stock pot and add clams. Steam for about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir clams once or twice to steam evenly. Remove from heat as soon as the shells open. Remove the clams and strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Set the broth aside and reserve.
Let the clams cool for a few minutes and then remove the clam meats from their shells. Set aside. You should get about 1 ½ cups clam meats.
If using canned clams, simply strain the clams from the juice and reserve the juice. You’ll get about 1/2 cup per can. You’ll need to purchase some additional bottled clam juice to measure 3 total cups of clam broth.
Melt butter over medium heat in a 5-6 quart stock pot and add onions and scallions and saute about 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent.
Add clam broth, tomatoes and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Add white rice, cover and reduce heat to a steady boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until rice is cooked through.
Remove the stockpot from the stove top. Take ¾ of the reserved clam meats, add to the stock pot and puree the bisque with a handheld immersion blender. Be very careful not to splatter hot soup!
Add ½ cup of cream and stir in. Add additional ½ cup of cream, if desired.
Ladle bisque into individual bowls and add a handful of the remaining ¼ whole clam meats to each bowl. Add optional seasonings, to taste

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