Clam Soups with Thyme Croutons

What you’ll make when you have cute little clams and good quality baguette on hand? Clam chowder maybe? Unfortunately, I didn’t have corn and potato, besides that, I want something light, not a creamy soup. More recently there was a dish that I really want to make. It was a David Rocco Italian Clam Soup or Zuppa di Vongole. I make it soupier and use a tomato paste instead of cherry tomatoes. For the croutons, I use a day old baguette from Authentique French Bakery. It is a small French bakery in Kemang, South Jakarta and the owner is a French lady. I bought my baguette from there yesterday, I love her baguette, It fresh and I don’t want to add too much flavour. I just shredded the baguette and fry it with olive oil and infuse it with thyme.

Clam Soups with Thyme Croutons

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds fresh clams
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzle
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 750 ml chicken stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Croutons:

• French baguette, or any French or Italian loaf bread
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Method:

1. Rinse clams under cold water and soak in a bowl of cold water. Discard any shells that remain open or cracked.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add chopped shallots, stirring for a minute, then add garlic, and chilli flakes, cook for about 1-2 minutes until sizzle, keep stirring to prevent the garlic burning.
3. Stir in tomato paste, then add chicken stock and white wine. Let it boil and then let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Add clams and simmer it for 3 minutes with a lid on, until all the clams open, shaking pan occasionally.
4. Sprinkle chopped parsley and salt, to taste and stir to let everything to combine. Serve the soup warm with more chopped parsley and thyme croutons.
5. Croutons: cut the bread into small cubes or just shred it. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, make sure the oil is really hot before adding the bread. Add bread and thyme, and mix them up with oil until lightly coated, spread the bread in a pan and let it brown on one side, and then stir it and cook until it starts to brown on the other side. Remove from heat.