Chowda Time!

There's nothing that says "Summer" like raw freshly dug Rhode Island littleneck clams on the halfshell.  Of course, not all the clams cooperate and give themselves up while still young and tender.  So, whenever I find myself with a batch of big quahogs, I like to turn them into home made New England Clam Chowder. Here's how I make mine.

New England Clam (Quahog) Chowder

¼ lb salt pork, diced small

4 doz large quahogs

2 small bottles clam juice

1 qt fresh chopped clams

6 large white potatoes, peeled and diced

   (leave skin on fresh new potatoes if desired)

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

1 pint heavy cream

Flour

½ tsp (or to taste) each of thyme, dill, and nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Pour the bottles of clam juice into a large pot, place a vegetable steamer tray in the bottom of the pot, and add the 4 doz large clams (wash well first).  Steam open the clams.  Remove the steamed clams from their shells and chop them up (a food processor works well for this).  Reserve the broth from steaming the clams.  Rinse out the pot, and wipe dry.  Next fry the salt pork pieces until brown and crispy.  Remove and discard the fried pieces, leaving the melted fat in the bottom of the pot.  Cook the onions in the fat until soft. Next, add the clam broth and potatoes, thyme, nutmeg, dill, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add the celery and cook for 5 more minutes. Add all the chopped clams and continue cooking until the pot just starts to simmer, to cook the clams. Don’t boil vigorously, or the clams will be tough. In a separate pan, heat the cream until it just starts to steam, and whisk in 3 or 4 tablespoons of flour until it starts to thicken.  As soon as it begins to thicken, immediately pour and mix it into the chowder pot and turn off the heat.  Do not boil again once the cream has been added, or the chowder will separate.