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Recipe by Gontran Cherrier taken from his book At the baker’s table published by Éditions Hachette cuisine. photography by Aline Princet
For 4 people
1.2 kg of baguette dough (to make yourself or order from your baker)
400 g canned clams and 500 g canned juice
4 slices of thick bacon
15 g of butter
1 large stalk of celery cut into fine cubes
120 g finely chopped onions
350 g roseval potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes of approximately 1 cm
3 cloves of crushed garlic
20 g of flour
50 cl of chicken stock
80g heavy cream
4 cl of milk
1 bay leaf
2 branches of flat parsley
3 pinches of dry oregano
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 nice pinches of fine salt
Black pepper from the mill
A Hearty Soup Served in a Bread Bowl
Table of Contents
This comforting recipe transforms a simple clam soup into an experience, served directly within a hollowed-out loaf of bread.
- This recipe serves four people and requires approximately 3 hours of rising time for the bread bowls.
- The soup can be made ahead of time and reheated, but assemble the bowls just before serving to prevent the bread from becoming soggy.
- For a richer flavor, consider using homemade chicken stock.
Making the Bread Bowls
Divide the dough into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a round loaf and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Score the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife. Let them rise for 2 hours, then bake in a preheated oven at 230°C (450°F) for 25 minutes. To create steam, bake the loaves for 25 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.Letting them sit overnight makes hollowing them out much easier.
Building the Flavorful Soup
In a large casserole dish, cook the bacon slices over low heat until crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and set aside to drain on paper towels, then chop it finely once cooled. in the same dish, melt the butter and sauté the celery and onion until softened. Add the garlic and potatoes, then sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly to create a roux. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and clam juice, along with the bay leaf, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream, milk, and half of the chopped bacon, and simmer for another 5 minutes. remove from heat and gently fold in the drained and chopped clams.
Assembling the Soup Bowls
Carefully cut off the tops of the baked loaves and scoop out the soft crumb, leaving a 1 cm (approximately inch) thick shell. Reserve the removed crumb for croutons or breadcrumbs. Ladle the hot soup into the bread bowls, sprinkle with the remaining chopped bacon, a generous grind of black pepper, and a scattering of fresh parsley. Grill the bread caps and serve promptly alongside the soup.
