New England Clam Chowder
"As a New Englander, one of the first regional foods I loved was clam chowder. I don't recall when I first tasted this comforting soup chock-full of tender mollusks. What I do know is clam "chowda" is a birthright for every person born within a 100-mile radius of Boston. In the Massachusetts suburbs, we didn't acknowledge differing styles from Rhode Island or Maine. To us, clam chowder was always a cream-based wonder, briny with clam liquor, smoky with bacon, and containing, ideally, a high ratio of fresh clams to potato chunks. —Gabriella Gershenson..."
INGREDIENTS
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10 lb. clams in the shell, preferably cherrystone, scrubbed
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4 oz. thick-cut bacon, finely chopped
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2 tbsp. unsalted butter
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1 tbsp. finely chopped thyme leaves
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2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
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2 bay leaves
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2½ lb. new potatoes, cut into ¼" cubes
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2 cups heavy cream
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Oyster crackers and hot sauce, for serving
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