New England Clam Chowder II

Description

• Source: San Antonio Express-News, web posted: on 09/11/2007, adapted from Blount Seafood Corp.
• Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large rib celery, peeled and diced
• ½ green bell pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 tsp flour
• 1 cup clam juice
• 3 cups milk or mixture of milk and half-and-half
• 3 – 4 boiled red potatoes, cut into 1½-inch dice
• 1 cup chopped clams, with juice, either from can or foil pack
• salt, to taste
• pinch of white pepper or cayenne, or to taste
• pinch of dried thyme

Directions

1. Fry bacon until just crisp.
2. Remove from pan.
3. When bacon has cooled slightly, chop it and set aside.
4. Pour off all but about 1 teaspoon bacon drippings.
5. Put onion, celery and green pepper in skillet and gently sauté until vegetables are cooked.
6. Set pan off the heat.
7. In heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt butter.
8. Add flour; stir and fry the mixture until it's cooked but not browned.
9. In meantime, heat clam juice with milk or half-and-half.
10. When flour mixture is cooked, slowly add hot milk mixture, whisking to incorporate it with the roux.
11. Let it simmer, whisking to make it smooth as it thickens.
12. When soup has thickened, add potatoes, clams, salt and pepper or cayenne, thyme and reserved bacon.
13. Let simmer for a couple of more minutes until potatoes and clams are heated through.
14. If it is thicker than you like, add a little more milk.

Nutritional information

Per serving:

• 220 calories | 12g protein | 23g carbs | 2g dietary fiber | 10g fat | 40mg cholesterol | 260mg sodium