New England Clam Chowder

Growing up in Indian Neck, we not only ate clam chowder, we actually went to the beach and dug for clams.  There were razor, cherry stone and quahog clams.  Razor clams were long and their shells very sharp.  Cherry stones were "baby" clams and quahogs were very large clams.  Our parents had a clam rake.  It had two long wooden poles with rake heads at the bottom.  In the middle was a large nut and bold that held them together.  We would open the top ends, force the rakes into the mud and force them back together, bringing whatever was between them to the surface.  Moving the closed rakes up and down in the water, the mud would fall out and the clams remain in the rakes.  It was a fun and quick way to get clams.

• 6 - 7 dozen Cherry Stones (small clams)
• 3 c water
• A piece of cheese cloth
• 5 strips of bacon
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 T flour
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 t fresh thyme
• 1 c heavy cream

Add water to a dutch oven and place on the stove.  Place clams in the water and turn to high, bringing the water to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium high for about ten minutes, turn off the heat and remove the clams.  Throw out any that do not open.  Place cheese cloth in a mesh strainer and pour clam broth through the cloth into a bowl and put aside. 

Rinse out the dutch oven to remove any grit. Return the pot to the stove and cook the bacon over medium high heat until brown.  Once cooked, place the bacon on a dish lined with a paper towel to drain.  Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and cook until clear.  Add the flour to the pan and stir into the onions for about a minute. Add reserved clam juice, potatoes and the thyme.  Let cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Chop the cooled bacon into small pieces and set aside.

Meanwhile, remove the clams from the shells and chop them up.  Be sure to include any that may have fallen out of their shells.  Strain any liquid from the dish the clams were in and add the juice to the pot.  Add the cream and bacon.  Stir to combine for five minutes.  Serve immediately.