Thrive Version

Blue-Food Clam Chowder with Fennel and Herbs

Name: Blue-Food Clam Chowder with Fennel and Herbs
Ingredients: 4 1/4 cups fish stock (or Andrew or Barton’s shellfish stock); 6 pounds cherrystone clams (about 48 clams); 4 tablespoons salted butter; 1 fennel bulb, minced (about 1 1/2 cups); 1 serrano chile, finely minced; 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 2 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup); 1 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushed; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed; 3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups); 2 1/4 cups heavy cream; Salt and freshly cracked black pepper; 1/2 cup minced parsley; 1/4 cup minced chives; Buttered toast, for serving

A close cousin of the original clam chowder, with the same briny, creamy character and a slightly lighter hand on the butter and cream.

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Based on Recipe from The Blue Food Cookbook by Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver in collaboration with Fed By Blue..

PublishedKeep the tasteHealthier overallLower caloriesLower saturated fatLower calories Lower saturated fat One pan Stovetop

Published by Andrea Hardcastle.

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USDA estimate · whole recipe

Original vs Thrive

Confidence: medium

Some amounts used typical kitchen weights, like a medium onion or a can.. Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central, not from the language model. They are estimates, not medical advice.

	Original	Thrive	Change
Calories	5282	79960	—
Protein	69.3g	1268g	—
Fiber	24.1g	482g	—
Fat	401.3g	5206g	—
Saturated fat	246.4g	3138g	—
Carbs	368g	7262g	—
Sugar	127.6g	2454g	—
Sodium	13083mg	260480mg	—

6 ingredients used a typical kitchen weight (an onion, a can, a stick of butter).
3 ingredients could not be matched or converted, so the total is incomplete.
Servings were missing, so per-serving numbers are not shown.

Ingredient matching

Original

4 1/4 cups Fish Stock (or Andrew or Barton’s Shellfish Stock)Soup, stock, beef, home-prepared · 1020g
6 pounds cherrystone clams (about 48 clams)Beverages, Clam and tomato juice, canned · 2722g
1/3 pound salted butter (1 ½ sticks or six 1-inch cubes)Butter, unsalted · 151g
1 fennel bulb, minced (about 1½ cups)Fennel, bulb, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 serrano chile, finely mincedPeppers, serrano, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)Onions, raw · 110g — Used a typical piece weight of 110g for onions, raw.
3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 ½ cups)Celery, raw · 120g — Used a typical piece weight of 40g for celery, raw.
2 carrots, thinly sliced (about I cup)Carrots, raw · 122g — Used a typical piece weight of 61g for carrots, raw.
1 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushed*Celery, raw · 2g
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed*Spices, fennel seed · 5g
3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)Not counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
3 cups heavy creamCream, heavy whipping · 714g
Salt and freshly cracked black pepperNot counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
1/2 cup minced parsleyParsley, fresh · 120g — Used 240g per cup for Parsley, fresh.
1/4 cup minced chivesHam, minced · 60g — Used 240g per cup for Ham, minced.
Buttered toastBread, egg, toasted — No amount to convert.

Thrive Version

4 1/4 cups fish stock (or Andrew or Barton’s shellfish stock)Soup, stock, beef, home-prepared · 1020g
6 pounds cherrystone clams (about 48 clams)Beverages, Clam and tomato juice, canned · 2722g
4 tablespoons salted butterButter, unsalted · 57g
1 fennel bulb, minced (about 1 1/2 cups)Fennel, bulb, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 serrano chile, finely mincedPeppers, serrano, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)Onions, raw · 110g — Used a typical piece weight of 110g for onions, raw.
3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)Celery, raw · 120g — Used a typical piece weight of 40g for celery, raw.
2 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)Carrots, raw · 122g — Used a typical piece weight of 61g for carrots, raw.
1 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushedCelery, raw · 2g
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushedSpices, fennel seed · 5g
3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)Not counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
2 1/4 cups heavy creamCream, heavy whipping · 536g
Salt and freshly cracked black pepperNot counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
1/2 cup minced parsleyParsley, fresh · 120g — Used 240g per cup for Parsley, fresh.
1/4 cup minced chivesHam, minced · 60g — Used 240g per cup for Ham, minced.
Buttered toast, for servingBread, egg, toasted — No amount to convert.

What we would not change

Clams
They are the identity of the dish and provide the signature briny sweetness and seafood flavor.
Fish stock or shellfish stock
This is the soup's savory backbone and protects the clam character.
Fennel bulb and fennel seed
They are a defining flavor pair that gives the chowder its specific aroma.
Celery, onion, and carrots
These aromatics build the classic chowder base and should stay intact.
Potatoes
They supply the traditional body and creamy mouthfeel without changing the recipe’s character.
Heavy cream
This is a load-bearing ingredient for the chowder’s richness and texture; only the amount should be moderated, not replaced.
Parsley and chives
They provide the fresh finishing note that lifts the rich soup.
Buttered toast
It is the expected serving vehicle and part of the dish’s comfort-food appeal.

What changed, and why

1/3 pound salted butter → 4 tablespoons salted butter
Reduces saturated fat and total calories while keeping enough butter to properly sweat the aromatics.
Flavor: Still gives the chowder a rich, buttery base.
Texture: Vegetables soften and turn glossy without an oily finish.
3 cups heavy cream → 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
Lowers saturated fat and calories while relying more on the potatoes and reduction for body.
Flavor: Keeps the chowder creamy but a little less heavy.
Texture: Still lush and spoonable, with slightly less richness.
Simmer very gently for about 20 minutes to thicken the cream a little. → Simmer very gently for 10 to 15 minutes, just until slightly thickened.
A shorter finishing simmer helps preserve the lighter cream amount and avoids over-reducing fat-rich dairy.
Flavor: Maintains the integrated chowder flavor without cooking the cream down too far.
Texture: Preserves a silky texture instead of making the soup overly dense.
Serve with buttered toast. → Serve with lightly buttered toast.
Trims excess added fat while keeping the expected accompaniment.
Flavor: Still gives the toast a buttery finish without overpowering the soup.
Texture: Keeps the crisp, soft contrast of toast alongside the chowder.

Thrive Version

Servings

0.05

Per-serving USDA estimates stay the same. Ingredient amounts scale with the pot. Lines without a measured amount stay as written.

Ingredients

85 cups fish stock (or shellfish stock)
120 pounds cherrystone clams, about 48 clams
80 tablespoons salted butterReduced from 1/3 pound to trim excess saturated fat while preserving the butter flavor needed to soften the vegetables.
20 fennel bulb, minced, about 1 1/2 cups
20 serrano chile, finely minced
20 large yellow onion, diced, about 1 1/2 cups
60 celery stalks, diced, about 1 1/2 cups
40 carrots, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
20 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushed
20 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
60 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced, about 3 cups
45 cups heavy creamReduced from 3 cups so the chowder stays rich but a little less heavy.
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
10 cup parsley, minced
5 cup chives, minced
Buttered toast, for servingServe with a lighter spread of butter than the original implied.

Instructions

Pour the stock into a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Add the clams, cover, and cook just until the shells open, about 8 minutes. Remove the clams and strain the broth through a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Reserve the broth.
Shuck the cooked clams and coarsely chop them. Reserve.
Heat the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the fennel, chile, onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables look glassy and are beginning to soften, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the celery seeds and fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the potatoes and the reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the chopped clams and the heavy cream. Season with salt and black pepper. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 10 to 15 minutes, just until the chowder is slightly thickened and the flavors come together. Do not let it boil.
Ladle into bowls and finish with the parsley and chives. Serve with lightly buttered toast.
To toast the celery seeds and fennel seeds, place them in a small dry skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan often, until fragrant. Cool slightly, then crush in a mortar and pestle.

Taste impact: moderate.

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