Creamy New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon, cut into small pieces (using scissors makes this easy)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped (or tsp celery seeds)
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 potato, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon mace

• 4 (6 1/2 ounce) cans chopped clams, juice reserved
• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions

1. 1

   In a large dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the butter, onions, celery, garlic, and bay leaf and cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.

2. 2

   Add the potatoes and the reserved clam broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer about 30 minutes, until broth has thickened slightly and the potatoes are tender.

3. 3

   Remove bay leaf from pot. Using an immersion mixer (or blender), blend soup to a fine consistency. Stir in the clams and heavy whipping cream. Taste for saltiness, then season with white pepper, salt, and mace (to your liking).

4. 4

   Can be eaten right away, but it's best the next day. Just let cool and refrigerate overnight. The next day simmer the soup to re-heat, but do not boil.