AWESOME CLAM CHOWDER

Awesome Clam Chowder image

Provided by Sandy in Dayton

Categories Stew

Time 50m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

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4 (6 1/2 ounce) cans clams, drained and liquid reserved (I used a mix of minced and whole baby clams)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or any light tasting oil)
2 (8 ounce) bottles clam juice
1 1/2 cups minced onions
1 1/2 cups diced celery
3 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup frozen corn or 1 cup fresh corn
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups half-and-half cream
3 cups chicken stock
1 (4 ounce) can baby shrimp, drained
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, I know it sounds weird but it really adds a spark
2 1/4 teaspoons salt, I like use sea salt
ground black pepper

Steps:

Sauté celery, onions, and carrots (if using fresh corn add it now) and in oil in a large skillet until softened.
Add potatoes, frozen corn, bottles of clam juice, plus enough drained liquid from canned clams to cover vegetables*, and cook over medium heat until tender. *If not enough liquid add only enough water until vegetables are covered.
After about 10 - 15 minutes, when vegetables are almost tender, melt the butter in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat.
Whisk flour into melted butter until smooth and fully cooked.
Whisk in half & half and chicken stock, stir constantly until thick and smooth.
Stir in vegetables, cooking liquid, and season with salt and pepper. Heat through, but do not boil.
Stir in clams and shrimp - If they cook too much they get tough - do not allow it to boil. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar.
At this point I took it off the heat and let it cool down enough to put into the fridge covered as I was serving it the next day.
A couple of hours before serving I just put it into the crock from one of my slow cookers, put the lid on, then put it into the microwave at 10 minutes at 50% power to get it started and then into the slow cooker on slow.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 422.9, Fat 26.4, SaturatedFat 14.7, Cholesterol 103.9, Sodium 870.7, Carbohydrate 31.5, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 4.3, Protein 16.1