Clam Chowder

When I was growing up I didn't know there was such a thing as white clam chowder. We always had the red kind. So that's what we're cooking today. This is what you'll need.

First take the whole tomatoes (about 28 ounces) and crush them in the pot. Then add about the same amount of tomato sauce.

Now coarsely chop half of a head of cabbage

and add it to the pot.

Mix this all together and place over medium low heat. Now begin frying up a skillet full of bacon.

Coarsely chop one whole onion.

Add this to the bacon drippings when the bacon has finished cooking.

Cook until they begin to loose their color (not brown). Drain the grease and add the onions and bacon to the pot.

Now's a good time to add a generous amount of black pepper. Do not add salt.

Add water to the pot and bring to a boil. I like to use the containers that the tomatoes came in to add the water.

Cover with the lid vented to release the steam and let it boil for about thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. It will have a tendency to stick, do not scrape the bottom. Now it's time to add some taters. I like to chop mine like this.

How many you ask? If you like taters add a lot. If you don't, don't. They will help thicken it though. I like to add the taters a few at a time so as not to kill the boil. Continue boiling for another twenty minutes or so or until the taters begin to be done. Now for the fun part.

Now you can use canned clams if you like but you just haven't lived until you've cleaned a big old chowder clam. I like to use about a dozen of them. First I put them in a sealed bag in the freezer for an hour or so. This will kill them and make them easier to open. Make sure you save the juice.

As I clean the clams I cut them up and place in a smaller bowl.

These go into the pot. I then carefully pour off the juice leaving the sediment behind.

Now this goes into the pot. Bring it back up to a boil for a few minutes just because you can. Raw seafood and all that. Next you want to adjust the salt. You never know for sure how salty the clams will be.

And now it's ready. I like to serve mine with clam fritters.