Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

Chowder:

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup diced pancetta
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 cups fennel, diced in 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (2 to 3 cobs)
• 2 pounds (1 kilogram) clams
• Salt

Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Lots of freshly ground pepper
• 6 fried rounds of pancetta
• Coriander leaves

METHOD

Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot for the chowder. Add diced pancetta and sauté for 3 minutes or until slightly crispy. Add onions, potatoes, fennel and garlic, reduce heat and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to boil. Simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn kernels and stir together. Add clams. Cover and boil about 3 to 5 minutes or until clams open. Remove clams, cool and shell half the clams. Return all the clams to soup. Salt if needed.; Reheat soup until clams are hot.

Stir in lime juice and coriander for the garnish. Season. Grind extra pepper on each serving. Garnish with crisp pancetta round and whole leaves of coriander.

SUGGESTED WINE PAIRINGS

A chunky soup likes a chunky wine. The buttery essence of a full-bodied chardonnay bastes the corn while the toasty oak rides with the earthy, crispy-pancetta undercurrent. A glass of creamy stout, such as Guinness, would work nicely, too. - Beppi Crosariol