This post includes not one but two recipes for clam bisque. Generally speaking, there are two categories of people: clam lovers and clam likers.
Clam lovers can be summarized in four words: the brinier the better. They love raw clams on the half shell, steamers dipped in clam broth, and the clammiest clam dishes you can possibly make. If that describes you, you’ll absolutely love the first clam bisque recipe below for a traditional clam bisque. It’s got that ultra-briny flavor that hardcore clam enthusiasts crave (which by the way, includes myself).
Clam-likers are those who like clams but don’t necessarily love the ultra-briny stuff. They veer more towards dishes that tone down the saltier side of clams, things like authentic New England clam chowder, stuffed clams, clam cakes, and so forth. If that describes you, you’ll love the second recipe below for a tomato clam bisque.
A Soup for the Sea Gods
Now you might not even be aware that there is such a thing as clam bisque. It is one of those old-time seafood soup recipes that you rarely see anymore. The only place you’ll really find it is in the dusty pages of old New England seafood cookbooks. Why it faded away I don’t know. But what I do know is that a clam bisque is a thing of almost mystical beauty, one of those soups that I imagine would be served to satisfy the deities of ancient seafaring civilizations.
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Similar to a lobster bisque, which enhances the flavor of lobster, clam bisque also concentrates and intensifies the salty, herbaceous flavor of fresh clams. Therein lies its seductive allure.
There are two reasons for this. The first is the clam liquor inside the clam shells which contains the briny essence that clam lovers adore. Every clam bisque (or any clam soup) recipe starts out by steaming whole clams in a little water. When the shells open they infuse the water with their liquor. This is known as clam broth or clam juice. Clam lovers sometimes call this heavenly broth the “nectar of the sea.”
The second reason clam bisque is so delicious is the clams themselves. Sounds obvious but there’s a secret…
The Secret to Making an EPIC Clam Bisque
This is a secret that either nobody knows (because nobody makes clam bisque anymore) or a secret closely guarded by chefs. But even chefs may not be aware of it because not even chefs make clam bisque anymore. Let’s face it, when it comes to seafood soups, you rarely see anything other than clam chowder and lobster bisque on menus.
In the classic Provincetown Seafood Cookbook, which features dozens of rare old-time recipes, author and chef Howard Mitcham writes of his clam bisque recipe, “Now it’s almost sacrilegious to ask you to do this, but this soup has to be clear and light-colored, so-o-o split the bellies of the clams and rinse out the contents. (I’ll never ask you to insult a clam like this again).”
At the very least, Mitcham humorously acknowledges that removing the clam bellies will sacrifice flavor. And that is the secret.
Do NOT remove the clam bellies!
Yes, pureing whole clams into a bisque will slightly darken the color and prevent if from being a clear soup. Personally, I don’t give a rats behind about this! There is SO MUCH FLAVOR in those clam bellies! Why discard them? It also takes more work to split all those clams and remove the bellies.
Chefs do it because it makes the soup look more appetizing. After all, paying customers don’t want unappetizing-looking food. But this blog is for home cooks, not for chefs in restaurants and I’m telling you with absolute certainty that the flavor of a clam bisque with whole clams is superior to one with the bellies removed. It is for this very reason that I actually prefer clam bisque to lobster bisque.
More Bisque Recipes to Try
- Salmon Bisque with Dill
- Scallop Bisque with Sage
- Mussel Bisque with Fennel
- Easy Crab Bisque with Tarragon
The Not-So Secret to Making a Really Good Clam Bisque
Listen, I’m not saying you MUST only use whole clams. I’ve made clam bisque both with whole clams and clams that have their bellies removed. For the latter, that typically means canned clams.
Sometimes a local fishmonger will have fresh clam meat by the pound which is often stripped of clam bellies. That’s always a better option than canned clams. But you know what? Canned clams still make a really good clam bisque. Is it epic? No. But not everything needs to be epic. You can make either of the recipes below with canned clams. It will certainly save you some time and money which I understand is not insignificant for most people these days.
If you want to substitute canned clams for the recipes below, simply strain the clams from the juice and reserve the juice. You’ll get about 1/2 cup of clams per can which is about the equivalent of 12 whole steamed littleneck clams. You’ll need to purchase some additional bottled clam juice to measure the 3 total cups of clam broth in the recipes. Bar Harbor brand clam juice is outstanding.
Enjoy!
Traditional Clam Bisque Recipe
Traditional Clam Bisque
Traditional clam bisque is a simple, straight up, no frills version that highlights the briny quality of fresh quahog clams. All you need is clams, onions, scallions and cream.
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CourseSoup
CuisineAmerican
Prep Time15 minutes minutes
Cook Time20 minutes minutes
Total Time35 minutes minutes
Servings4 servings
Calories296kcal
AuthorCraig Fear
Cost$20
Ingredients
- 3 dozen littleneck clams , rinsed and scrubbed clean, or 3 canned clams
- 2 cups water
- 2 TBSPs butter unsalted
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2-3 scallions
- ¼ cup white rice
- 3 cups clam juice
- ¾ of reserved clams
- ½ – 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ of reserved clams
Optional seasonings, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Parsley
- Chives
- Pinch paprika
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. You should get about 2 ½ – 3 cups clam broth. Add additional water to measure 3 cups of broth total.
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 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 705mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 940IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
Tomato Clam Bisque Recipe
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.
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CourseSoup
CuisineAmerican
Prep Time15 minutes minutes
Cook Time20 minutes minutes
Total Time35 minutes minutes
Servings4 servings
Calories271kcal
AuthorCraig 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
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 915IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
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