Neely Clam Chowder

• Two 10-ounce cans clams
• Two 8-ounce bottles clam juice
• 3 thick slices bacon, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Dash of hot sauce
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Snipped fresh chives, for serving

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Drain the canned clams over a measuring cup and reserve the juice.
3. You will need 3 cups reserved juice in total, so add the 2 bottles of clam juice to make a total of 3 cups.
4. Add the bacon to the Dutch oven and saute long enough for the bacon to begin to render its fat but not begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Turn up the heat and add the garlic, celery, onions, thyme, bay leaf and some salt and pepper.
6. Saute until tender and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Add the flour and cook until pasty and blonde.
8. Stir in the clam juice, and then add the potatoes.
9. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes.
10. Add the half-and-half and clams and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
11. Season with the vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper.
12. Serve with the snipped chives.

clams, clam juice, bacon, garlic, celery, onion, thyme, bay leaf, salt, allpurpose, red potatoes, white wine vinegar, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, fresh chives

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/neely-clam-chowder-recipe.html (may not work)