Clam Chowder

Mise En Place

1. Peel and dice potatoes.
2. Finely chop onion/shallot, garlic, and celery.
3. Chop bacon into the size that you prefer.

Getting started

1. Heat a large stock pot to medium-high. Cook the bacon until just starting to crisp. Then remove from the pot.
2. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and saute the onion and celery.
3. Once softened, saute garlic for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Deglaze the pot with the white wine, and let reduce until most of the alcohol has cooked out.
5. Add diced potatoes, chicken stock, and spices. (Don’t go too heavy on the cayenne unless you really want some heat)
6. Once the stock has come to a boil, cover, and turn down the heat to medium-low. Wait until the potatoes are fork-tender. At this point you want to start the roux.

Making the roux

1. Heat a medium saucepan on low-medium heat.
2. Slowly melt the butter, making sure it does not burn.
3. Once all the butter has melted, tablespoon by tablespoon add in the flour. Stir as you add in more flour. The consistency should start to become thicker and more like a paste. This is called a roux, it is the base of this dish.
4. Once the roux is ready, slowly add the half-and-half. Do not add it all at once. Pour a little at a time, then stir it in so it has a chance to incorporate with the roux. If you go to fast, it will not thicken like it should.
5. Keep stirring until it reaches a desired consistency. The cream should be noticeably thicker.

Finishing Up

1. Once the potatoes are tender, add the clams AND clam juice to the pot.
2. Now add the roux/cream mixture to the pot and stir so it is well-combined.
3. Add the bacon back in, and season to taste. (i.e. add more salt, thyme, etc.)