How to Prepare Delicious New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder.

You can cook New England Clam Chowder using 17 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of New England Clam Chowder

1. It's 10 strips of bacon.
2. It's 2 tablespoon of butter.
3. You need 2 stalks of celery chopped.
4. You need 1 of leek fine chopped.
5. It's 1 of onion finely chopped.
6. It's 3 cloves of garlic minced.
7. It's 4 of small russet potatoes peeled and diced.
8. It's 1 cup of chicken broth.
9. You need 8 of 0z bottle clam juice.
10. You need 1 teaspoon of salt.
11. Prepare 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper.
12. Prepare 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme chopped.
13. It's 1/3 cup of flour.
14. You need 2 cups of half & half.
15. Prepare 20 oz of canned whole clams drained *give or take based on can.
16. You need leaf of Bay.
17. You need of Chopped green onion or chives for garnish.

New England Clam Chowder step by step

1. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. ** I baked mine on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven until crispy and transferred drippings to pot.
2. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain; set aside. Add butter to the drippings (you can spoon out some of the drippings if you don’t want to ues that much); saute celery, leek, and onion until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, broth, clam juice, salt, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender..
3. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into the soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened..
4. Stir in (drained) clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil); turn down to low heat; add the bay leaf. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes on low heat. Add in 5 strips of crumbled bacon..
5. Crumble the reserved strips of bacon. Garnish chowder with crumbled bacon and fresh chopped chives..