Courtesy of Elizabeth Wiley – Serves 5
- 2 (6.5 oz) cans – chopped clams
- 4-5 strips, thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 6 medium potatoes, peeled, diced
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 1 TBSP fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
Drain the clams, reserving the liquid. Add enough water to the liquid to measure 2 cups, set aside. In a 3-quart or larger pot, cook the bacon until crisp, remove and set aside. Add the reserved liquid, potatoes and onion to the bacon fat in the pan. Add a little more water to lightly cover the potatoes if necessary. Cover and Cook, 15 minutes until potatoes are cooked. Stir in the clams, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. If you want to thicken the chowder, smash some of the potatoes when the milk is added.
Once bubbling, set to simmer for a while – one to three hours or longer is great. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking on the pot bottom.
- Serve with Corn Meal “Crepes”
- 1 cup Corn Meal, not rising
- Water
- 3 TBSP Bacon Fat (estimated)
- Salt
Add enough water to corn meal until a very liquid slurry. Salt to taste. Add to pan of 1/8” bacon fat to cook as pancakes. Let cool on paper towels before serving.