Clam Chowder

[merlinofchaos]

• 4 cups potatoes, diced into small cubes
  
• 3 large carrots, diced into small cubes
  
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
  
• 1 large can of clams (I think it's the 51 oz can? It's a huge can)
  
• 10 tablespoons butter (1 and a quarter sticks)
  
• 6 tablespoons flour
  
• 2 tsp oregano
  
• 1 large pinch marjoram
  
• 10-15 drops worcestershire
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon regular salt)
  
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
  
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
  
• 4 cups milk or half-and-half
  

First: the recipe is supposed to have salt pork. I don't happen to have any salt pork handy, so I used drippings leftover from the last ham I made. This may or may not have actually done anything to the flavor, I couldn't tell you.

Immerse the carrots, potatoes and onion in the juice from the clams--this should come out ot around 4 cups of liquid. If it's less, supplement with a little water. Add a bay leaf and the salt, and gently boil until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Remove the bay leaf when done.

Meanwhile, melt all of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, put in the flour and the pepper. Stir until you have a nice roux, and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk in about a cup at a time; stir and heat until it's boiling, then add the next cup. When you have a nice, hot, thick cream sauce, combine with the vegetables and liquid. (Be sure to remove the bay leaf.) Add all remaining ingredients, and heat through. Serve immediately. Sourdough is nice. I use saltines.