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New England Clam Chowder
by July-29-2015
A classic creamy New England Clam Chowder, with a little Texan twist.
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Bacon, diced
  • 1-2 tbs. Butter
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1/2 White Onion, diced
  • 1 tsp. Ground Sage
  • 1 tsp. Ground Thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. Celery Salt
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 3 tbs. Flour
  • 2-3 cups Half and Half
  • 1-2 cups Vegetable stock
  • 2 (6.5 oz) cans Chopped Clams, juices separated and reserved
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 2-3 Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced
  • Chopped Fresh Parsley (or dried)
  • Oyster Crackers, for garnish
Instructions
Dice your entire 1-lb package of bacon. Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to the pot and cook until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot, onto a plate lined with paper towels. Pour the bacon fat from the pot into a bowl and set aside (you don't need it for this recipe, but it can be useful for pie crust making or other recipes, so hang on to it in a covered container in your fridge if you might use it). DO NOT SCRAPE THE REMAINING FAT FROM THE POT. Leave all those drippings and bacon crumbs in the pot.Add 1 tbs. of butter to your pot, melt, add garlic and onion and cook until onions are translucent. Stir in seasonings (sage, thyme, celery salt, and some salt and pepper). With you half and half, vegetable broth, and clam juice ready and on hand, whisk in the flour until lightly brown. Immediately whisk in 1 cup of broth, 1 cup of half and half, and the clam juice.Using and immersion blender, blend the mixture carefully so that the onions and garlic cloves are blended smoothly into the broth.Bring to a boil, and stir in the potatoes and add the bay leaf. Reduce the heat and let it simmer as it begins to thicken and the potatoes are tender and cooked.Once the potatoes are cooked, stir in the clams and another 1 cup of half and half (or however much you prefer to achieve a consistency you like - you can even add heavy cream instead for a very thick soup, or vegetable broth for a thinner soup).Simmer until your desired consistency is reached, remove the bay leaf and serve immediately. Garnish with bacon, parsley and oyster crackers.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4-6 Servings