AIP Clam Chowder

This is a weekend soup, not a Tuesday-night one. Real clams need scrubbing, steaming, and straining before the actual cooking even starts, and the whole process can eat up most of an afternoon. That is a real ask when you are tired. It also produces a broth no shortcut version gets close to, briny and full-flavored in a way that anchors the whole pot.

Few foods match clams for vitamin B12, a nutrient that autoimmune disease has been linked to running low on, and one the body needs for basic nerve and red blood cell function. The maitake mushrooms hold beta-glucans, compounds under study for a possible role in modulating immune activity. Neither is why you are making this soup. You are making it because it is genuinely good.

Strain the broth carefully and keep every bit of the liquid: this is where nearly all the flavor and the minerals from those shells end up, and letting any go to waste would be a shame after the work of getting here. Ladle it into bowls, scatter the chives and reserved bacon over the top, and eat it hot, from a spoon you actually sit down with.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs fresh clams
• 5 cups water, or enough to cover the clams
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound bacon, roughly chopped
• 1 leek, sliced
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 medium Japanese sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups maitake mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon cassava flour
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Method

Scrub the clams under cold running water and discard any with cracked or already-open shells. Place them in a large pot with the water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and cover. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the clams have opened. Discard any that remain closed after this time. Remove the clams with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a cloth or folded paper towel and reserve it - this briny broth is the backbone of the chowder. Once the clams are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and set aside.

In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

Add the sliced leek to the pot and cook in the bacon fat for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and stir for another minute until fragrant.

Add the diced sweet potato, the reserved clam broth, and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the sweet potato is fully tender.

Add the maitake mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir the cassava flour into just enough cold water to make a smooth, pourable slurry. Pour it into the simmering soup while stirring. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the soup thickens slightly.

Stir in the coconut milk and the reserved clam meat. Heat through gently for 2 minutes - do not bring to a boil at this stage, as high heat can make clams rubbery. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt.

Ladle into bowls and top with chives and the reserved bacon. Serve immediately.

*Adapted from Autoimmune Wellness*