Go Back
Clam chowder in a bread bowl

Low-fat New England Clam chowder bread bowl from scratch

A white clam chowder recipe made using low-fat ingredients in a New England style.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 6
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Party Food, Soup
Cuisine: International, Western
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bread bowl
  • Bread flour-6 cups
  • Olive oil-2 tbsp
  • Active dry yeast-4 tsp
  • Warm water- 2 and 1/4 cups
  • Salt-2 tsp
  • Raw sugar-2 tsp
  • Egg wash: egg-1,milk-1 tbsp
Clam chowder
  • Fresh clams-600 gm
  • Onion-1/2 cup
  • celery-1/2 cup
  • Potatoes-1 cup
  • Carrots-1/2 cup
White sauce
  • Olive oil-1/4 cup
  • All purpose flour-1/4 cup
  • Milk-2 cups
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Equipment

  • Electric oven

Method
 

Bread bowl
  1. Add bread flour in to a mixing bowl.
  2. Add salt.
  3. Add sugar.
  4. Mix well and keep aside.
  5. Let us start the preparation of yeast. Add yeast to the luke warm water.
  6. Mix well until it dissolves and keep it covered until it activates.
  7. Transfer the flour mix into a wide pan or vessel for the easier dough preparation.
  8. Add olive oil . You can add butter if you prefer a moist and flavourful bread.
  9. Mix well to avoid any forming of lumps.
  10. Add the activated yeast and make a soft and firm dough using fingers and palm.
  11. Keep the dough covered in a warm place for proofing for 2 to 3 hours.
  12. Part the dough into 6 equal parts.
  13. Press and shape the doughs into balls. Make a cross slit on the top of each dough to minimize the cracking of bread while baking
  14. Place them in a lined baking tray with adequate space.
  15. Preheat the oven for 200 C.
  16. For egg wash, take one whole egg in a bowl. Add milk and beat until they are mixed.
  17. Apply the egg wash on the top and sides of the dough balls.
  18. Bake the dough balls for 25 to 30 minutes are until they are glden in colour.
  19. Place them in a wired rack and wait until it comes into room tempreature/warm enough to handle.
Clam stock
  1. Boil water in a pan. Add the washed clams and cook.
  2. Once all of the shells are open,strain the clam stock and keep aside.
  3. Remove the clam meat from the shells and wash if needed. Chop them into small pieces and keep them aside.
White sauce
  1. Add olive oil in a pan. Add flour and mix with the olive oil.Make sure their are no lumps formed and if any break them and mix well.
  2. Add the milk and mix well once again.
  3. Cook this mixture in low flame and make a thick sauce out of it.
Clam chowder
  1. Put potatoes, carrot, celery and onion in a wide pan/pot.
  2. Add clam stock and cook until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Add salt.
  4. Add the prepared white sauce and cook until everything blends together and comes into a thick consistency.
  5. Add freshly crushed pepper.
  6. Add salt if needed in this stage.
  7. Add the chopped clams and mix well.
  8. Cut the top center part using a sharp knife. Deepen the center to accommodate more soup in the bread bowl.
  9. Pour the soup into the bread bowl and decorate with parsley.
  10. Serve hot as it is or with any of the accompaniments I listed.

Notes

  • When the fresh calms are unavailable use the canned one. Use the stock /water in the can to intensify the favlour.