(Cooking) Welcome Post-Clam Chowdah

It seems to make sense that my opening post for JT's blog, run by me, should be about his clam "chowdah" recipe.  There is a great history to this chowdah that he makes for us each year at the beach.  Somehow, I got roped into trying to replicate his amazing version for the past 3 years.  Well, I've always needed him nearby, and/or a detailed version of his recipe.  He will always be the master, but today I took a leap that would have made JT proud, and made a big ol' pot of yummy clam chowder to serve to family while watching football.  I must have done okay because the cousin remarked at least 3 times....and he's hard to impress.  I cut the potatoes all the same size, and I gauged all the ingredients with approximations, and I added in secret ingredients!  I also heated the cream, without scalding it, and I remembered to pour it in incrementally, to avoid the problem of excessive liquidity.  It was a success....and I owe it all to JT.  


Here is his recipe, which has a patent pending, so be sure to give credit where credit is due!


JT's Clam Chowdah a la OBX:
2 cups of diced onion
1 cup of diced celery (cut stalks in half then chop)
3 cups  diced potatoes - use assorted kinds, unpeeled
1 teaspoon dried thymne (some rosemary/whatever fresh)
1 teaspooon ground black pepper
8 cans of clams (can use 4 cups of fresh) - save the juice
1/2 cup of salted butter - 1 stick
1/2 cup of flour
1 1/2 cups quarts of cream / heavy cream/whole milk (can warm up)
garlic-"some"

chop the celery & onions into bowl
chops potatoes into bowl
chop garlic
open clams, set juice aside

melt butter over med high heat
when liquid  add garlic, stir up and be sure not to burn (5 mins)
add celery/onion, stir up - 2+ mins
add two large pinches of slat, stir up 1-2 mins
add herbs-2+mins
add cumin, 5+ mins
add flour, gets pasty
add 3 cups of veggie/seafood stock/clam juice (if no homemade stock get "better 
than boullion" -near stocks)
lower heat
add potatoes, as time goes by:  add more clam juice, wine
cook potatoes 10-15+mins
once potatoes are right texture, add 8 ozs of heavy cream + whole milk  (pour in 
via 1/3 at a time, stir incrementally
medium low heat
cover/stir/simmer as needed 5 + mins
taste.....when ready add clams
stir and remove from heat


TIP:  One of the definite keys to this is to have or make seafood stock.  Recipe for that will follow.  


If you have questions-contact JT!  You know how to find him!