Monterey clam chowder

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 Carrot, diced (1)
1 medium Onion, diced (1 1/2)
1 Potato, diced (2)
1 Stalk of celery, diced (2)
½ pounds Minced bacon (3/4 lb.)
¼ pounds Margarine (I used butter, 1 1/2 cubes)
3 Cloves fresh garlic, minced (5)
½ quart Clam juice (I used 3- 8 oz bottles)
1½ cup Flour (2 1/4 c.)
2 cups Milk (3 c.)
2 cups Heavy whipping cream (3 c.)
2 cups Half-and-half (3 c.)
½ teaspoon Black pepper (1 tsp., DON'T SALT!)
½ pounds Chopped clams (fresh, frozen or canned) (3 lb. can)
½ teaspoon Clam base (optional, available in most gourmet shops)

Directions

(I made 1½ times this amount - see parenthesis for amt.) Place vegetables, bacon and margarine in a 5 quart sauce pot. Saute over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Be careful not to brown or scorch.

When vegetables are tender, add flour to make a roux. Cook for two minutes, allowing flour to cook while stirring occasionally.

Add clam juice and dairy products. Stir by using a wire whip.

Add fresh garlic, black pepper, chopped clams and clam base. Cook over low-medium heat stirring occasionally to prevent chowder from scorching. Cook for two hours or until chowder is brought to desired thickness.

If a crockpot, or small steam kettle is available, it is recommended.

Also, clam juice can be added to thin chowder down if it gets too thick.

Note: This soup is the BEST clam chowder I have ever tasted! It is thick and very rich and fattening! I didn't use the clam base since I don't even know what that is. Also, I didn't need to simmer it as long as suggested. I cooked it for about 1 ½ hours. The chowder needs to be stirred OFTEN, probably about every 5-10 minutes or so or it will stick to the bottom of the pot. Also, I one-and-one-halved times'd it, using about 3 lbs. of chopped clams instead of the recommended amount. I also served it with the little soup "clam" crackers. It made about 5 quarts this way. Deb C.

[ Fisherman's Grotto Restaurant in Monterey, CA. ] Posted by: Shelley Rodgers - Cooking Echo Reprinted by: Debbie Carlson - Cooking Echo

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