New England Clam chowder

I decided to try a new recipe every other week.  So the other night I made clam chowder. The recipe is pretty easy especially if you use canned clams.

Saute the onions and minced garlic with 2 Tablespoons of butter

add the bacon and saute until the onions are golden brown

add the celery and carrots

sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of flour and mix

add the potatoes, milk, and bay leaf

Clam Chowder

recipe adapted from Wililams Sonoma

3 lb littleneck clams in their shells, well scrubbed (I used 2 cans of chopped clams in clam juice, reserve juice)

1 c bottled clams juice (if you are using clams in their shells)

2 T butter

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/4 c diced salt pork or bacon

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 carrot chopped

2 T all-purpose flour

2 waxy red or white potatoes (about 10oz), diced

3 c milk or half and half

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

2 T finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

**If you are using littleneck clams in their shells.

In a large saucepan over med-high heat, combine the clams and clam juice and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and steam the clams until they open, 5-8 mins. Remove from the heat and discard any clams that failed to open. Remove the clams from their shells (cut in half if very large), reserving a few in shells for garnish.

Strain the clam juice through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheese-cloth (muslin) to remove any grit. You should have 1 1/2 to 2 cups. Set aside.

*If using cans, drain the clams and save the clam juice.

In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. 

Add the onion and saute until just softened, 3-5 minutes. 

Add the salt pork/bacon and saute, stirring occasionally until the pork is cooked through and the onion is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. 

Add the celery and carrots and saute for 1 min. 

Add the flour and cook stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes longer. 

Stir in the strained clam juice, potatoes, milk and bay leaf. Raise the heat to med-high and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to med and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the parsley, shucked clams and reserved clams in their shells. Cook for 1 min longer to warm the clams through.