SIMPLE NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

This recipe will ensure your clams will not feel like little erasers in your mouth.  Adding canned chopped and whole baby clams makes this recipe easy and less expensive.  My husband said it reminds him of the clam chowder at the Brotherhood in Nantucket.

You can leave out the bacon and use just a teaspoon of oil to cook the onion.

3 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 medium size russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

2 (6.5-oz) cans chopped clams

2 t sea salt

2 t finely ground black pepper

2 (10-oz) cans whole baby clams

2 cups half-&-half or whole milk

4 T unsalted butter

½ cup instant mashed potato flakes

Bacon bits, for garnish

Paprika, for garnish

In a 2 qt saucepan add the potatoes and cover with cold water to about 1-inch.

Slowly simmer for about 5 minutes.

Drain potatoes in a colander and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Add 2 cans of the chopped clam broth to a small bowl.  

Pour the chopped clams in another bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Add the potatoes and season with the salt and pepper. 

Cover and refrigerate, to infuse the flavors, for 2 to 6 hours.

You can do this in the early afternoon and finish it in the evening.

In the same saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a small bowl; discard most of the grease.

In the same saucepan, slowly cook the chopped onion over low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring up the brown particles from the bottom of the pot.  

Pour the potato/clam broth mixture back into the same pot along with the juice of the whole baby clams.  Reserving the whole clams.

Slowly simmer over low heat for about 5 more minutes, or until potatoes are now tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the chopped clams, whole clams and half-&-half or milk.

Slowly simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the butter and instant mashed potato flakes.

Cover and let sit a couple of minutes.

Ladle into soup bowls or large mugs, add a few bacon bits, sprinkle with paprika, and serve with oyster crackers.

Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a first course.