The city of Danville recently lost a beloved resident and local “foodie” guru, whom I feel deserves some recognition. Janice Cecere was often described by friends as “The best cook in town”. Known for her gorgeously detailed dinner parties and phenomenal taste in food, she never shied away from a holiday or a chance to bring people together. She read restaurant reviews and always kept up with the latest food trends and where to find them. She also shared a lot of culinary wisdom with anyone who would listen. Whether it was fish, fried chicken, or a spiced marinade, she had the best recipe for nearly everything. The one big thing that she and I could always agree on, was that a great recipe should never be kept a secret…. It should be shared with the world. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of her mother’s 100 year old New England clam chowder recipe, and it is with her blessing that I share it with all of you here. In my humble opinion, it’s the last clam chowder recipe you will ever need.
New England Clam Chowder With Love, from Janice
Serves 4, plus extra
You will need;
• 5 strips bacon, sliced
into pieces
• 1 cup yellow onion,
finely chopped
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tsp. butter
• 4 tsp flour
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 -8 ounce jars clam juice
• 2 cups, russet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2-10 ounce cans clams in juice
• 1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• 4 mini sourdough bread loaves
Putting It Together;
In a large soup pot, sauté the bacon pieces on medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Add a light drizzle of olive oil to the bacon fat and add the celery and onion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Push the vegetables off to the side in the pot and place the butter and flour in the middle. Gently stir the butter in the middle until a lumpy paste forms. This is creating a “Roux,” which is what will thicken your soup. After 30 seconds, add the wine, water and clam juice and stir it well. Once it comes to a boil, add the potatoes and bring the heat to medium low. Cover and allow the potatoes to cook for 15 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 375° and warm the mini sourdough breads in the oven for 10 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, pour in the milk, heavy cream, nutmeg, clams and the cooked bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Leave the heat on low and allow the chowder to slowly warm through. This should take 15 to 20 minutes. It is important not to boil it. While it’s warming up, you can prep the bowls. Using a paring knife, cut a 4 inch circle around the inside of each sourdough loaf. Pull the tops off and scoop some of the bread out to create a bowl. Gently, ladle the hot chowder into each bread bowl. Keep the leftover chowder nearby, because people will certainly ask for seconds.
By Stephanie Seaberg, Resident since 2010