Cockle and Mussel Chowder (Irish)

Dom Paul McDonnell, OSB, the chaplain at Kylemore Abbey in the Connemara hills in County Galway until shortly before his death in 2005, was an enthusiastic strander. "Stranding," he once explained, "is like beach-combing except that you are searching for seafood." Among the treasures he would find were "wild mussels encrusting the rocks." He continued, "You can reap a large harvest, and there is great satisfaction in cooking and eating the result of your labours. Mussels straight from the briny ocean retain the taste of the sea, and my favourite recipe is this one."

2 Tbsp. sunflower oil
4 oz smoked bacon, diced
2 Tbsp. butter
4 oz leek, trimmed and very finely diced
4 oz carrot, very finely diced
10 oz potato, peeled and finely diced (~ 1 medium)
2¼ lbs mixed cockles and mussels
1¼ cups dry white wine
¾ cup milk
¾ cup light or heavy cream
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
4 Tbsp. fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté for about 1 minute, until crisp and golden.

Add the butter in the pan and melt. Then add the leek, carrot and potato. Reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 4-5 minutes, until soft but not browned.

Meanwhile, prepare the cockles and mussels. Scrub the shells clean and discard any that remain open when you tap them against a hard surface. Remove the beard - the little fibrous tuft - from each mussel.

Bring the wine to a boil in a large saucepan and add the cockles and mussels. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the shells have opened.

Remove from the heat, drain the shellfish in a colander (reserving the cooking juices) and discard any shells that remain closed. Return the shellfish to the empty pan to keep warm. Place a fine sieve over a measuring cup and strain the cooking liquid. You should have at least 2½ cups; if not, add water to make up that quantity.

Add the pan juices and the milk to the bacon and vegetable mixture and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the potato is tender. Add the cream and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, until the soup is reduced and thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, remove half of the cockles and mussels from their shells and add them, with the remaining cockles and mussels still in their shells, to the chowder. Stir in the parsley and serve at once.

Makes 4-6 servings.