Clam Chowder

I don't need a recipe for this.  It's a pretty straight forward soup to make.  Sometimes I thicken it with just grated potatoes but today I used flour as I wanted it thick.  Here are the ingredients I used:

• 1 package of bacon (375 ml) cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 stalk of celery with leaves, sliced ( I would have used more but that's all I had)
• 2 large russet potatoes, cubed
• 1 bag of frozen clams (340 grams - no salt or preservatives added) chopped finely in food processor
• 1 can of clam nectar (398 ml)
• 1 cup of Kirkland organic no salt chicken broth
• 1 litre of whole milk
• 1 cup of whipping cream
• 1/2 cup of bacon grease
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon each of Herbes de Provence, thyme and Old Bay
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• Few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
• Fresh chopped parsley (handful) and for garnish
• Fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt

I fried the bacon until crisp first and then removed it from the dutch oven.  

I sauteed the onion, celery and garlic until soft in the bacon fat. 

Then I added the flour and stirred and cooked it out for a minute or two.  I poured in all the liquids except the whipping cream.  I put the clams in the food processor and pulsed until minced.

I put in the clams, potatoes and seasonings and brought it to a boil. 

I had to tweak the seasonings off and on until I was happy.  I simmered it for a half hour and re-adjusted seasonings.  I put in the bacon and whip cream, stirred and served.  

I got high praise for this.  My son turned after a couple of mouthfuls and said, "WOW, is this ever yummy!".  It certainly was one of my better renditions of this soup.  It was thick and creamy and had lots of flavor.