You may also like
Categories:
bacon onion butter potatoes green bell pepper ham clam juice whipping cream cornstarch salt parsley cans clams
Viewed: 52 - Published at: 6 years agoIngredients
- 8 slices bacon (at least, more is good too)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 -2 tablespoon butter
- 8 large potatoes, peeled, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded & chopped (or red, orange, yellow)
- 1/4 lb ham, diced (optional)
- 1 (46 ounce) can clam juice, divided
- 2 cups whipping cream, divided (half-n-half or milk)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 pinch parsley
- 2 (6 ounce) cans clams, reserve juice (chopped or minced)
Method
- In a soup pot, brown the bacon; set aside when crisp.
- Add chopped onion (add the butter if you don't have a lot of bacon grease--otherwise save the butter for *later*--as noted below); saute onion for 2-3 minutes, then add potatoes, saute a few more minutes.
- Add green pepper to the pot, saute for about 1 minute.
- Mix veggies, then add ham and about 1/3 of the clam juice (don't bother measuring, just make sure the potatoes are covered).
- Simmer until the potatoes are just starting to get soft (20 minutes?).
- Add another shot of clam juice and 1 1/2°C of cream (or milk); return to a low simmer.
- Add remainder of clam juice from the big can and reserved from smaller cans; bring to a simmer again, stirring the pot occasionally to prevent sticking.
- ****If you'd like to have a more "rich" chowder, add the butter now.****.
- Mix remaining cream/milk with cornstarch, add gradually to simmering pot until slightly thickened (not goopy, please).
- Add salt and pepper to taste along with pinch (or two) of parsley.
- Remove from heat and add the clams; stir. Allow to rest for two - three minutes.
- Crumble crisp bacon over top of soup; stir.
- Serve immediately along with some hearty home-made croutons (1/2 loaf of French bread, cubed & toasted) and grated Cheddar cheese.
- VARIATIONS: Skip the ham and add 1-2 cups sweet corn kernels.
- ***NOTE*** When the store has a special on peppers, I buy a bunch, clean them up and chop into preparation-size bits, then quick-freeze them on cookie sheets (one-layer deep), then pour them into one-gallon zipper bags to store in the freezer. I keep a smaller container in my kitchen freezer for ready-access (and doesn't take up so much space).
