First make a FISH STOCK:
-1/2 onion
-1 carrot
-1 stalk celery
-2 tog racks (head, gills, fins, skin,and Bones and any extra meat)
-1 bay leaf
-10 peppercorns
-TSP salt
-10 cups water
Bring up to a boil and then simmer for an hour or two. Strain it and reserve. You can make that ahead of time and freeze/refrigerate it.
Now for the Chowda'..
-5 slices of Bacon (small dice)
-2 stalks celery (small dice)
-1 medium onion (small dice)
-2 tbls Butter
-2 Tablespoons of Flour
-4 small potatoes (small dice) I used red w/ skin on, but you can use any.
-1 can of BUMBLE BEE or another brand of whole baby clams (save liquid)
-1 small can whole kernel Corn (Drained)
-2 cups Milk or heavy cream (NOT BOILING but heated!!)
-4 tog fillets (diced about the size of Dice) I used fresh, but frozen will work
-Teaspoon Fresh Thyme
-8 cups of your Fish Stock or CLAM JUICE (heated!!)
In a heavy bottom pot cook the bacon on low heat until rendered but NOT real crispy. Remove it and set aside. Drain some of the bacon fat out and leave about 2 tbls in the pot. Now add your onions and celery and saute' until translucent. Add butter and the cooked bacon now. Now sprinkle that with the flour and saute for another minute. This will make a ROUX which will thicken the chowda'. Sprinkle w/ S & P. Add the heated Fish stock slowly and stir while adding it. Bring that up to a boil and now add the corn, potatoes, 1/2 of the clams w/ the juice and fresh thyme. Simmer that for about 1/2 hour. Now slowly add the heated milk or cream. Bring back to a boil and simmer LOW for another hour. Now add your TOG meat and the rest of the clams and cook for another 1/2 hour on low. Add S&P to taste and more fresh thyme if you like. Make some Pillsbury biscuits on the side.
This will feed about 5 people. Tastes better the next day.
** If you feel it is not thick enough for you, at the end bring it back up to a boil and add a corn starch slurry (tablespoon of COLD water and tablespoon of corn starch mixed together). This will thicken the chowda more.
