POTATO BACON CLAM CHOWDER

Potato Bacon Clam Chowder image

A white, cream-based chowder, this recipe adds more then the usual ingredients. I added skin-on red potatoes, spinach leaves, mushrooms, and bacon for both flavor and texture. I don't always measure exactly, more of an eye for ingredients as I go along. Feel free to experiment.

Provided by Nichol

Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Chowders Clam Chowder Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 21

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Ingredients

4 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon butter, or as needed
¼ cup diced onion
2 cups cubed, red skin-on potatoes
1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice, divided
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced carrots
¼ cup diced mushrooms
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 pint half-and-half
1 cup heavy whipping cream, or to taste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
2 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
6 leaves spinach, or more to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

Place bacon in a large, heavy saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour bacon drippings into bowl and reserve.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the same saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onions in hot butter until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes, 1/2 the bottle of clam juice, celery, carrots, mushrooms, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk flour into melted butter until smooth. Whisk milk, half-and-half, and cream into flour mixture until smooth and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir vegetable mixture, remaining clam juice, bay leaves, thyme, and dill into cream mixture. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are tender and chowder is hot, 15 minutes.
Stir minced clams, spinach leaves, and reserved bacon drippings into chowder. Cook until clams are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with cooked bacon.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1059.3 calories, Carbohydrate 57.6 g, Cholesterol 287.5 mg, Fat 74.1 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 42.4 g, SaturatedFat 43.9 g, Sodium 1358.1 mg, Sugar 7.8 g