New England clam chowder

By es123

Ingredients

• 7pounds7 pounds cherrystone clams, well-scrubbed and rinsed
• 3cups3 cups water
• 44 strips bacon, finely chopped
• 1medium1 medium Spanish onion, diced small
• 2tablespoons2 tablespoons flour
• 3large3 large red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1teaspoon1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2tablespoons2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1cup1 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Step 1

In a large soup pot over high heat, add clams to 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook just until clams open, about 10 minutes. Remove clams from broth and set aside. (Discard any clams that don’t open.) Strain broth through a sieve lined with a coffee filter and set aside.

Clean your soup pot; then over medium-high heat, sauté bacon until it’s browned and fat is rendered. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a paper towel. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.

Add diced onion to the pot and sautê until translucent. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, being careful not to brown. Whisk in reserved clam broth. Add potatoes and thyme, and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove clams from shells, reserving liquid, and chop roughly. Strain liquid; then add clams and liquid to the pot. Stir in parsley and cream and cook just long enough to heat clams through, about 3 minutes.