The Dish: Great Bay Restaurant -- Clam chowder

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds chopped clams (steam, shell and chop about 6 pounds of whole clams, which will yield about 2 pounds of chopped)
2 pounds diced boiled potatoes (drained and kept warm)
1 pound smoked bacon chopped
1 white onion chopped
3 ribs of celery chopped
5 cloves of garlic smashed
1 leek chopped
1/2 bunch thyme
1/2 bunch parsley
2 bay leaves
4 cups all purpose flour
1 750 ml gruner veltliner (white wine)
2 T black peppercorns
2 quarts clam juice (fresh if possible)
2 quarts heavy cream
Green Tabasco
Worcestershire
Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
(the last three ingredients are added to taste)

METHOD
In a large heavy bottomed pot render bacon until crispy strain fat off and set aside for the roux. Add the vegetables to the bacon and cook until tender roughly 10 minutes, add bay leaves peppercorns and herbs stir for 1 minute add white wine and reduce until alcohol is burned off. At this point add cream, clam juice and simmer for 30 minutes. In a separate pot add the bacon fat and flour and make roux cook the roux until it is blonde in color slowly add this to the soup a little at a time. Note: the soup might not need all the roux. Pass the soup through a ricer and then through a fine mesh strainer season with last three ingredients, add chopped clams and potatoes and serve.

Great Bay Restaurant
500 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
617-532-5300
http://www.gbayrestaurant.com/