New England Clam Chowder

3 oz thick-cut bacon (3 slices), cut into 1/4-inch strips

3 tbs. butter

2 large yellow onions, one for the soup and one for the clam broth mixture

1 cup dry, white wine ( Suggested to use a Sauvignon Blanc or a Viogner)

2 cups of water

4 large cloves of garlic

4 celery stalks, preferably the inside stalks for their flavor, diced

4 cups diluted clam broth (see below for directions)

4 lbs little neck clams, steamed. See below for suggested preparation

2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, diced (4 cups)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp fresh thyme

Fresh ground pepper

1 cup heavy cream

3 tbs. fresh parsley, if desired

Kosher salt to taste

To prepare clam broth, take 4 lbs of clams and put into a 5 qt sauce pan, add 1 cup of white wine, 2 cups of water and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Cover and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Remove any clams that have not opened. Remove clams from shell and set aside. Take reserve clam broth and set aside. If you would rather use a bottled clam juice, I suggest Bar Harbour.

Cook the bacon in a heavy duty dutch oven over medium heat, stirring until bacon starts to crisp, approx. 4 minutes. Remove from heat and pour off bacon fat. Leave the bacon in the pot add the butter and onion, cooking the onion about 8 minutes. Add celery and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the clam broth, potatoes, bay leaves and thyme. Boil over high heat until the potatoes are tender. Remove one or two cups of the mixture and run through a food processor, adding it back to the soup once processed. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Stir in the clams and let simmer for an hour. Season with salt and pepper.

All the vegetables and triple smoked bacon were locally sourced at Marshall’s County Store in Delaware, NJ.