New England Clam Chowder

Method

1. 1Drain canned clams, reserving all the juice. Set clams aside. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook diced bacon until the fat renders and the bacon turns crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
2. 2Add butter to the bacon drippings. Sauté onion and celery over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. 3Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. This creates the thickening base.
4. 4Gradually whisk in the juice from the cans plus 240 ml clam juice or fish stock (about 500 ml liquid in total), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add milk and heavy cream, whisking to keep smooth.
5. 5Add potatoes, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil hard or the cream will break). Cook 15–18 minutes until potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
6. 6Add the reserved clams and half the crispy bacon. Simmer very gently for just 3–4 minutes — clams toughen quickly if overcooked. Remove bay leaves. Season generously with salt and white pepper.
7. 7Ladle into warm bowls. Top each serving with remaining crispy bacon and fresh parsley. Serve with oyster crackers or crusty sourdough bread.