Name: Seafood Chowder
Yield: 2-4
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: ¼ cup (60 g) Mama Sita’s Palabok Mix; 3 cups (500 g) Clams (halaan); 4 cups (1 L) Brine (1 L water + 1 tbsp salt), for soaking the clams; 4 cups (1 L) Water, for clam stock; 2 tbsp (30 mL) Cooking oil; 1 pc (60 g) Onion, finely chopped; 2 Tbsp (15 g) Leeks; 1 pc (130 g) Carrots, cut into ¼” cubes; 1 pc (1 g) Laurel (bay leaf); 3 cloves (10 g) Garlic, finely chopped; ¾ cup (190 mL) Fresh milk; ¼ tsp (3 g) Orange rind, grated (optional)

Instructions

Soak the clams in brine for several hours to remove the sand and to cause the clams to rid them of their stomach contents. Wash them thoroughly and drain before cooking.
Place the clams in saucepan and add enough water to cover. Let it boil.
When the shells open, turn off the heat. Remove the clams and discard clams with unopened shells.
Set aside 2 ½ cups (750 mL) of the clam stock and discard the rest.
Heat oil. Sauté onions, leeks, and carrots. Add bay leaves.
Add the clam stock, garlic, milk, and Mama Sita’s Palabok Mix. Allow to simmer and continue stirring until the soup starts to thicken.
Add the clams and grated orange rind.
Simmer for another 2 minutes. Serve with slices of French bread with some garlic-flavored mayonnaise.