This is the clam chowder we all love every year at the beach. Yum! I quadrupled this recipe for 36 people.
Ingredients:
1 C celery
1 C onion
3 C red potatoes diced, or russet potatoes peeled and diced
3/4 C butter
3/4 C flour
1 quart half and half
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
pepper to taste
2 (6 1/2 oz) cans minced clams
Variation: Add 2 Tb wine vinegar or 4-6 strips of bacon crumbled
Instructions:
Dice celery and onions and cube potatoes. Saute them in a smidge of butter for a few minutes. Drain the clam juice into the pot. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables. Simmer vegetables until the potatoes are the proper texture. While the vegetables are cooking, form a roux with the butter and flour. Once the roux starts to bubble, cook for an additional minute or two, stirring the whole time. Add the half and half gradually while whisking to avoid any clumping while thickening the soup.
Once the vegetables are cooked, drain the liquid, saving it in a bowl. Add the strained vegetables to the pot with the white soup base. Add salt, sugar, pepper, and clams to the soup. Add a small amount of the liquid drained from the vegetables to thin the soup to your preferred thickness.
