Toheroa Soup (Toheroa soup)
Overview
Toheroa soup is a creamy green soup made from toheroa, a large surf clam found only on certain beaches of New Zealand. The minced clam meat, which has a striking green colour from the plankton it eats, is cooked in a light roux with milk, cream and the clam juices, and seasoned with nutmeg and pepper. It has a rich, sweet flavour and is often described as tasting of the sea. The soup is usually served as a starter, often with buttered toast or bread.
History
In the early twentieth century toheroa were dug on the beaches of Northland and canned for export, and the soup was famous as a delicacy served at state dinners and royal visits. Overharvesting led to strict limits, and public collection has been banned since 1993, so the soup is now very rare and mostly made with substitute clams such as tuatua.
Main ingredients
Toheroa clams, butter, flour, milk, cream, nutmeg. The soup is built on clam stock and milk and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; not usually gluten-free.
Explore: Fish and seafood soups · More soups from New Zealand
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~50 min
Ingredients
- 500 g toheroa or other clam meat, minced, with juices
- 40 g butter, 30 g flour
- 500 ml milk, 150 ml cream
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- pinch of nutmeg, white pepper, salt
Allergens: Contains: Gluten, Milk, Molluscs. Based on the typical recipe. Recipes and products vary; always check labels if you have an allergy.
Method
- Soften the onion in butter, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the clam juices and milk and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the minced clams and cook gently for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, season with nutmeg and pepper and serve.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
