Clam soupBlack clam miso soup at a Tokyo restaurant
Clam soup is a soup prepared using clams as a primary ingredient. Clam soup can be prepared as a thin, broth- or cream/milk-based soup and as a thicker, chowder-style soup. In Japan, hot miso soup prepared with clams is believed by some to be a cure for the hangover.
Overview
Clam soup is prepared using clams as a main ingredient. Additional ingredients can include carrot, celery, onion and other vegetables, vegetable broth or stock or other types of broths and stocks (such as fish stock)[1] seasonings and spices, salt and pepper. Fresh or canned clams can be used to prepare the dish.[2]Clam chowder is a well-known clam soup, but not all clam soups are chowders or have the thick consistency that chowders typically possess.
In Japan, hot miso soup with clams is a traditional cure for the hangover.[3] Clams possess high levels of ornithine, an amino acid that some Japanese people believe serves to reduce levels of stress, and "helps improve liver function—including detoxifying harmful substances like alcohol."[3] A canned clam soup product named "Power of 70" claims to cure hangovers.[3]
Clam chowder is a clam soup prepared as a chowder, typically using a cream base.[4] Several varieties of clam chowder exist. Manhattan clam chowder is a tomato-based soup prepared with vegetables and clams, but lacks cream or milk.[4][5][6]
