New England-style Clam Chowder

Cook bacon in a 4-quart stock pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from the pot to drain on paper towels. Reserve two tablespoons of bacon drippings in pot; discard the rest.

Add potatoes, onion, and celery to the bacon drippings in the stock pot. Sprinkle with seasoning salt. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.

Pour reserved clam juice over vegetables. There should be enough juice to almost cover the vegetables. It’s okay if there a few vegetables slightly protruding from the juice. If you feel that more liquid is needed, any of the following will be good additions: water, bottled clam juice, chicken stock or broth.

Stir in the fresh thyme leaves and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Taste to correct seasonings.

In a small bowl mix the half-and-half with the flour until smooth. Pour and stir it into the soup. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until chowder has thickened. The potatoes will also help to thicken the chowder during the stirring process. Add liquid if necessary to bring chowder to desired consistency.

While chowder is thickening, rinse clams in a colander under running water. Clams are often sandy and rinsing helps to dislodge the sand. Add the rinsed clams to the chowder and stir. Cook just until clams are warm. Over-cooking will cause the clams to be tough.

Serve in bread bowls or soup bowls. A side salad and some sour dough bread make a great meal.