=== STEAMING THE CLAMS ===
10 lbs littleneck clams
2 Tbs cornmeal
2 onions, peeled, halved
2 celery ribs with leaves, halved
1 bay leaf
10 cups water - (to 12)
=== SOUP ===
1/4 lb slab bacon, rind removed,
cut into 1/4" dice
1 Tbs vegetable oil, if necessary
1 medium onion, cut 1/4" dice
1 rib celery with leaves, cut 1/4" dice
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried tarragon, crumbled
2 russet potatoes, peeled, and
cut into 1/4" dice
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 cups half-and-half
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 scallions, including 3" of green, thinly sliced
on the diagonal


To prepare the clams, rinse them under cold water and then place them in a bowl with the cornmeal. Cover with cold water and let soak for 1 hour. Drain, rinse again under cold water to remove sand, and drain again.
Place the cleaned clams in a very large pot along with the halved onions, celery, and bay leaves. Add water to cover. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove the clams to a bowl with a slotted spoon, discarding any that have not opened. Cool the clams slightly and then remove them from the shells (discard shells) and reserve. Strain the cooking broth through a strainer lined with a paper towel to catch the sand. You should have about 12 cups of broth. Reserve.
To prepare the soup, place the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat to render the fat for 6 to 7 minutes (if the bacon is lean, it may be necessary to add a tablespoon of vegetable oil). Add the onion, celery, bay leaf and tarragon, and cook until the vegetables are wilted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and the butter, and cook, stirring to melt the butter, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add 6 cups of the reserved strained broth. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and the soup begins to thicken, about 15 minutes.
Chop the reserved clams and add them with the half-and-half and simmer gently over medium-low heat to warm through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the parsley and the scallions. Serve immediately.
This recipe yields 10 servings.
Per serving: 270 calories, 15g carbohydrate, 21g protein, 14g fat, 75mg cholesterol.
Comments: Littlenecks are the best clams to use. They chop clean and provide a delicate tasting broth. No flour is needed, the potatoes do all the thickening.