New England Razor Clam Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pound thick-cut bacon strips, diced
2 pounds potatoes, diced
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound frozen razor clams, thawed with liquid reserved
1 bay leaf
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

Cook and stir bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel, reserving drippings in the pot.
Cook and stir potatoes, onion, and garlic in the hot bacon drippings until onions are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir flour into the potato mixture; cook together for about 1 minute. Add evaporated milk, heavy cream, liquid from clams, and bay leaf to the potato mixture; stir.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Add clams to the soup; cook until the clams are hot, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle bacon atop the soup. Season with salt and pepper to serve.