Best Clam Chowder

Tokeland Chef Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup butter
1/4 pound bacon, diced and fried crisp
1/2 cup celery
!/2 cup shallots
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup flour 1/4 cup white wine
3 cups haf and half
1 cup bottled clam juice
Zest of 1/2 lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice
1 small bunch of thyme tied with cotton string
3 teaspoons hot sauce plus 2 teaspoons to finish
1 cup razor clams, cleaned and roughly chopped

Directions:
Boil potatoes quartered for 10 minutes until just tender   Rinse with cold water  to cool then dice.

Melt butter add bacon and cook until crispy over medium heat.

Add celery and shllots, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook stirring frequently until they just start to soften, (about 3 or 4 minutes.)

Add flour and stir until white color has cooked off. (about 1 minute.)

Add white wine and stir for about 1 minute.

Add half and half, then about 1/4 cup clam juice, while stirring constantly.

Add lemon zest, squeeze of lemon juice, bundle of thyme, Worcestershire and hot sauce.

Cook until starting to thicken, don't let scotch.

Add as mush of the diced potatoes as you like (maybe 1 1/2 cups) and the clams, then the rest of the clam juice as the chowder gets thicker.

Cook for a few minutes, stirring, then turn heat to low and taste.  Season with salt and pepper and more Worchestershire and hot sauce, stirring a little at a time while tasting.  it will want about about a teaspoon of salt and up to 2 teaspoons each of additional Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.

Serve sprinkled with extra thyme leaves and a pat of butter on top.
Tokeland Hotel Chef, Seattle WA.