New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams, juice reserved separately
• 2 cups bottled clam juice
• 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 bay leaves
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, chopped

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. Set a large 5-quart pot over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns crisp and browned and has released its fat into the pot.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat behind in the pot; this fat is your flavor base for the whole soup.
3. Add the diced onion and celery to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and translucent but not browned.
4. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes; the mixture should look pale and pasty and smell slightly toasty, which cooks off the raw flour taste.
5. Slowly pour in the reserved clam juice from the cans along with the bottled clam juice, whisking constantly as you pour to prevent lumps from forming.
6. Add the diced potatoes, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low so it simmers steadily with small bubbles.
7. Cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you can easily slide a fork into a potato cube with no resistance - this is the main doneness check for the whole soup.
8. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and whole milk. Heat gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, keeping the soup well below a boil; boiling dairy at this stage can cause it to curdle and look grainy instead of smooth.
9. Stir in the chopped clams (not the shells, just the meat) and cook for just 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently, until the clams are heated through; overcooking canned clams past this point makes them turn tough and rubbery.
10. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then season the chowder with the salt and black pepper, tasting a cooled spoonful and adjusting as needed.
11. If the chowder seems thinner than you like, simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes over low heat to reduce slightly, stirring often so it does not scorch on the bottom.
12. Ladle the chowder into bowls, then crumble the reserved crispy bacon over the top along with the chopped chives or parsley just before serving.

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