Vast variations in clam chowder make it an ideal menu item for signaturization. They range from light and brothy to thick and hearty, or from New England to Manhattan. The Bonney Read’s version is green. Executive Chef/Partner James Avery first created this different take on chowder for a pop-up dinner, and now it’s a mainstay on the dinner menu. “In this dish, I’ve done a classical pairing of clams, potatoes and pork, but added my own spin by incorporating parsnips, poblano peppers and fennel sausage instead of bacon,” says Avery. And the color? “The chowder gets its bright color from a parsley purée, which is added at the last minute, right before serving.”
As with the other chowders on the menu, the texture is more broth-like than creamy or heavy, and the clams are from nearby Sandy Hook, N.J. “Really fresh, good clams taste of the ocean,” he says. “All of our seafood is sustainable and as locally sourced as possible.” The green chowder also appears on the “Happy-as-a-Clam-Hour” menu.
