Mothers Clam Chowder...

Clam Chowder

Clam chowder...oh wonderful flavorful homemade clam chowder...there is nothing like it...Everyone has their favorite...my great aunt Esther made one that had clams that she had dug at the ocean and some onion and potatoes all boiled together...I was very skeptical to eat it but it was wonderful...Razor clams from the Pacific Northwest are almost sweet...very good...My sister Trina's chowder is very famous in our family...it has baby clams...I am hoping she will make it soon so I can show you all how that is done...but, my favorite is my Mothers chowder...Years ago we had our own restaurant, just a little cafe in Tacoma.  Mother made chowder every Friday...5 gallons of it....people came from everywhere to eat Mothers chowder...it has lots of potatoes, bacon, and clams....it is neither thick nor thin...it is velvety...so perfect!!!

1/2 pound of lean bacon

1 medium onion chopped

3 stalks of celery including some leaves...sliced

3 cans of clams

1 bottle of clam nectar

4 cups of peeled chopped russet potatoes

3 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch

1 quart of half and half

1 large knorr chicken bouillon cube

more than a recipe to be written down it is a procedure....and start to finish really takes less than an hour....



dice up your bacon, onion and celery...

peel and cube your potatoes...

place the potatoes in a large heavy pan....this chowder recipe will make about a gallon...

add your nectar 

and the all three cans of clams including juice......

if the potatoes are not covered add enough water to just cover...and put on medium heat and bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer..for about 20 minutes..until the potatoes are just done, if you cook them to long they will break down...

after you get the potatoes on to boil, put the bacon in the frying pan and cook over medium heat....

add a half of cup of the half and half and the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch..stir and set aside....

when the bacon in half cooked, add the celery and onions on top and just let them cook a bit like that until they start to look translucent and it is time to stir....

here is the chicken bouillon...add it to the potato water...it flavors the chowder with out diluting it like chicken broth would do....this is all the salt the chowder needs....and it adds a wonderful flavor that makes the chowder, trust me on this one.....

time to stir the bacon....

potatoes about done...do not stir too much...you do not want the potatoes to break down...

if the bacon is too lean and it seems like you need more oil in the pan...at a couple of tablespoons of butter....and continue frying......until bacon is crisp and onions and celery are done...

 add all of it to the potato clam mix....

give a gentle stir and then..

add the half and half...bring back to just under a boil and then add the cornstarch mixture...stir until velvety...taste and add pepper if you like....

put it in a bread bowl for the San Francisco favorite or....

my favorite...a couple of pats of butter on top and in the biggest soup bowl you can find....

this chowder is award winning!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!