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New Zealand clam and mussel chowder

Recipes

New Zealand clam and mussel chowder

By Michael Meredith

1 hour 15 minutes

Preparation time

1 hour

Cooking time

6 Servings

Serves

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Ingredients

24 mussels, cleaned and beards removed
24 clams
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, finely diced
1 stick celery stalk, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 litre fish stock and mussel liquid (combined)
30g butter
1½ tablespoons flour
Potato and kumara trimmings (from garnish)
1 teaspoon curry powder, mild
150mls cream
Sea salt

Vegetable garnish

1 stick celery stalk, thinly slice on diagonal
1 potato, Agria, medium, cut into 1cm cubes
1 kumara, medium, cut into 1cm cubes, retaining the trimmings from the potato and Kumura

 

Bacon crumbs

3 slices (80g) sliced bacon, finely chopped
30ml oil
4 tablespoons bread crumbs, fresh or dry

 

Parsley oil

50g fresh parsley, chopped
100ml extra virgin olive oil

 

Herb garnish

Chervil
Chive

Method

Clams and mussels

  1. Clean and debeard the mussels and cockles.
  2. Place mussels and clams in a solid steam tray and Steam at 90°C for 3 minutes.
  3. Remove from the steam oven, strain and reserve the liquid.
  4. Remove mussel and clam meat from the shells, retaining shells for final presentation. Cut meat into bite size pieces and set aside ½ the meat for plating. The remainder will go into the soup.

Soup

  1. Heat butter in a large pan on medium heat, Induction setting 6. Add garlic, onion, celery, leek, curry powder and bay leaf and cook until soft and fragrant (approximately 15 minutes).
  2. Add the Potato and Kumura trimmings
  3. Sprinkle flour over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
  4. Stir in hot reserved mussel liquid and fish stock and bring to the boil on induction setting 7-8.
  5. Reduce to medium heat, Induction setting 6 and cook for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat, add the cream and ½ measure of mussel and cockle meat. Bring back to the boil for 2 minutes then remove from the heat again.
  7. Discard the bay leaf and blend the soup with a stick blender or liquidiser until smooth.

Vegetable garnish

  1. Season the kumara and potatoes and place into a perforated steam tray Steam at 100°C for 3 minutes.
  2. Place the celery into a separate perforated steam tray and place into the steam oven with the kumara and potatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  3. Remove the kumara, potatoes, and celery and put to one side.

Bacon crumbs

  1. Heat the sunflower oil in a pan over medium-high heat, Induction setting 7-8.
  2. Add the bacon and sauté for 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
  3. Add bread crumbs and cook until golden.
  4. Remove from the heat and dry on paper towel.
  5. Once the mixture has cooled blend to a sand texture.

Parsley Oil

  1. Wash parsley and dry.
  2. Place the oil and parsley in a pan. Place on a medium heat, Induction setting 4 and sauté lightly.
  3. Remove from heat and once the oil has cooled, puree in a high speed blender, then pass through a coffee filter.

To serve

  1. Arrange mussels, clams and steamed vegetables in a bowl.
  2. Warm the soup through and pour enough to just cover the vegetables.
  3. Sprinkle bacon crumbs and drizzle with parsley oil.
  4. Garnish with chervil and chives.

Applicance Functions

  • Induction Cooktop
  • Steam
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Michael Meredith

Michael Meredith is an acclaimed chef and restaurateur based in New Zealand. Born in Samoa, his earliest food memories are of his mother's pancake stall at a local market in Apia. His latest restaurant, Metita, which opened in late 2023, is a tribute to his late mother and is located in Auckland's SkyCity precinct. The menu at Metita offers a contemporary take on Polynesian and Pacific cuisine, inspired by his childhood. Throughout his career, Michael has been recognized for his inventive use of local and seasonal ingredients. He was the founding chef of The Grove in 2004, and later opened his own multi-award-winning restaurant, Merediths, which operated for a decade. He is also the owner of the Auckland eatery Mr Morris. Beyond his restaurants, Meredith has been involved in charitable projects. He was a co-founder of Eat My Lunch, a social enterprise that helps provide lunches to underprivileged children in New Zealand. He also lends his culinary skills to other causes, such as raising money for the Starship Children's Hospital.