The Clam Restaurant Autumn Corn and Clam Chowder

For the chowder base:

4 oz diced bacon
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chopped thyme
½ medium onion, medium diced
2 stalks celery, medium diced
1 cup sweet corn kernels
2 qts clam stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup new potatoes, peeled & rough chopped

In a medium sauce pot render diced bacon until crispy and remove.
Add garlic cloves to bacon fat and brown. Add diced onions, celery
and corn as well as chopped thyme. Cook vegetables until tender and
add clam stock. Bring to a boil and add cream and rough chopped new
potatoes. Simmer until slightly reduced and the potatoes are
tender. Puree the chowder base in a kitchen blender and pass
through a fine mesh strainer. Adjust seasoning and reserve.

For the clams:

1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic
3 thyme sprigs
3 dz littleneck clams (washed)
1 cup white wine

In a medium sauce pot saute the garlic cloves in butter over medium
heat until browned. Add thyme sprigs followed by white wine. Bring
pot to a boil and add littleneck clams and cover. Cook over medium
heat for 5-6 minutes until opened. Reserve.

For the soup:

1 tbsp butter
reserved rendered bacon
1 cup diced leeks (washed & drained)
1 cup sweet corn kernels
1 cup medium diced new potatoes
reserved chowder base
reserved cooked littleneck clams (in or out of the shell, or both)
reserved clam cooking liquid
1 tbsp chopped parsley
oyster crackers

In a medium sauce pot add bacon to butter and cook over medium
heat. Add leeks, corn and new potatoes, cook slightly. Add the
chowder base and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Adjust
consistency and seasoning with the clam cooking liquid, salt and
pepper. Add chopped parsley and ladle the chowder over the cooked
clams in individual soup bowls. Garnish with oyster crackers if
desired.

Serves 6

Source: Good Day New York