Clam Chowder

Here is some comfort food for the next rainy day. It originally came from the Tea Room at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and was printed in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune sometime in the 80's. It has been a family favorite ever since and tastes even better the second day.

Clam Chowder

1/2 cup chopped onions
1 Cup chopped celery
3 cups peeled, diced potatoes (about 1/2 inch dice is good)
3 - 6 oz. cans chopped clams (Gorton's is the brand of choice)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon pepper (again, to taste)
1 teaspoon thyme (a must!)
1 teaspoon parsley
6 oz. fried bacon
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups light cream

Chop up the bacon into small pieces and saute until crispy.

Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Leave a couple tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan and saute the onions and celery in the bacon grease. Yum!

In the meantime, drain the clams (SAVE THE CLAM JUICE, THOUGH!).

Add the potatoes to the onion/celery mixture and pour in the clam juice. Then, add enough water to just cover the potatoes. Boil the potatoes until tender (15 minutes or so).

While the potatoes are boiling, and in a separate saucepan, carefully melt the butter over low heat (you don't want it to burn). When the butter has melted, add the flour and stir and cook the butter flour mixture for about a minute. (This is a fancy mixture called a roux and you cook it for a minute or so to remove the "raw" flour taste)

After the potatoes are tender, add the salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley. Then, stir in the roux. This will thicken the soup.

Finally, stir in the cream and heat till warmed, but don't boil once the cream is added.

Now, you can either stir in the bacon bits, or use them to garnish the top of the soup after you ladel it in the bowl.

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!