Clam Chowder Iii - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams, drained with juice reserved
1 quart half-and-half cream
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preparation

In a blender, combine onion, garlic and enough water to make a smooth paste. Set aside.
In a large pot, combine potatoes, celery, salt, pepper, onion mixture and juice from clams. Augment with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft, 20 minutes.
Stir in half-and-half and sugar. Combine melted butter and flour, then whisk into soup. Cook and stir until thickened. Stir in clams and adjust seasonings.