Recipe: Lillies Clam Chowder

Ingredients

3 ½ounces raw bacon, diced

3 ½ounces clarified butter

1 ½pounds yellow onion, diced ¼inch

1 pound celery, diced ¼inch

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 pounds potatoes, diced ½inch

7 cups chopped clams in juice

1 gallon whole milk

12 ounces Roux

1 ½tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

1 ¼ teaspoons hot pepper sauce, such as Ashanti

1 ounce kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1 cup half and half

½cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Method

In a thick bottomed stock pot, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined sheet tray and set aside for service.

Add butter to bacon drippings. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the onions are tender.

Add potatoes and clams in juice bring to a simmer and cook over low until potatoes are tender. Add Worcestershire, Tabasco, thyme, salt and pepper.

Separately heat the milk until steaming. Add the roux to the milk, whisking frequently. Simmer until thickened. Stir in the half and half.

Add the thickened milk mixture to the clam mixture. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve, topped with reserved bacon and chopped parsley.