BrokeAss Gourmet, The premier food, wine and lifestyle blog for people who want to live the high life on the cheap.

Prep Time 0:10

Cook Time 0:30

My awesome neighborhood corner store sells little tins of smoked clams. I’d never tried them before but every time I passed them, thought about how, though I love smoky, bacon-y clam chowder, perhaps smoked clams could lend chowder a touch of smokiness without the help of pork products?

So today, when I went in to beg the store’s friendly proprietors to give me change for $5 (as the change machine at my laundromat was broken, again), I decided to also purchase a tin of smoked clams for a chilly day soup experiment.

The creamy, smoky results tasted much more expensive than the meager $8.50 it cost to make this soup. Crusty sourdough and a green salad turn it into a perfect winter supper.

• Ingredients
• 1 8-oz can smoked clams, packed in oil $2
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter $1 for a stick
• 4 tbsp flour Pantry
• 2 cups milk (1%, 2% or whole—not skim) $1.50 for a pint
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced $0.50
• 4 fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and diced $1
• 1/2 cup half-and-half $1.50 for a pint
• 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish $1
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $8.50

Directions

Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir continuously until a sticky dough forms. Add 1 cup water, slowly, whisking as you pour it in. Continue to whisk as you slowly add the milk. You should have a very creamy soup base.

Add the potatoes, onions and clams with their liquid and stir. You may need to add a bit more water if the soup becomes too thick.

Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add half-and-half, parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot, garnished with additional parsley.

Serves 3-4.