Clam Chowder

Instructions

1. Scrub 300 g of clams under cold running water and sit them in a bowl of cold, well-salted water for 20 minutes so they spit out their grit. Lift them out of the water rather than pouring them off, and discard any that gape and will not close when tapped.
2. Put the clams in a heavy pan with 150 ml of water, cover tightly and steam over high heat for 4-6 minutes, shaking the pan once, until the shells open. Tip into a sieve set over a bowl, discard any clam still shut, then pick out the meat and chop it coarsely. Strain the clam liquor through muslin or a coffee filter to leave the sand behind.
3. Wipe the pan and set it over medium-low heat. Render 20 g of diced salt pork with 5 g of butter for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the dice are golden and the fat has run. Add 50 g of finely chopped onion and sweat for 5 minutes until translucent, it should not colour.