Best Clam Chowder

Best Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 8-10 bacon strips divided
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 1 leek finely chopped
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 3-4 small potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 cup broth chicken or vegetable
• 1 bottle 8 ounces clam juice
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half divided
• 3 cans 6-1/2 ounces each of whole clams, chopped into chunky pieces, drained
• Bay leaf
• Chopped fresh chives or green onions for garnish

Instructions

• in an exceedingly Dutch kitchen appliance, cook bacon over medium heat till crisp. take away to paper towels to drain; put aside. Add butter to the drippings (you will spoon out a number of the drippings if you don’t need to ues that much); saute celery, leek, and onion till tender. Add garlic; cook one minute longer. Stir within the potatoes, broth, clam juice, salt, pepper and thyme. bring back a boil. scale back heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or till potatoes area unit tender.

• in an exceedingly little bowl, mix flour and one cup half-and-half till swish. step by step stir into the soup. bring back a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or till thickened.

• Stir in (drained) clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil); flip right down to low heat; add the herb. Cook for extra 2-3 minutes on low heat. Add in four strips of fragmented bacon.

• Crumble the reserved a pair of strips of bacon. Garnish soup with fragmented bacon and contemporary sliced chives.