Dairy Free Clam Chowder!

Our family has always made Clam Chowder on Christmas Eve.  It started as a tradition from my French grandparents, who made bouillabaisse - a fish stew- for the holiday.  My father, upon marrying my mother, could not stand the dish and they began their own tradition.

My mother's clam chowder is always delicious, but never the same!  She doesn't follow a recipe and plays around with the ingredients every year adding sweet potatoes, spicy ingredients and other touches as she feels like it.  Our chowder has been orange in the past!  So when we discovered that it was best for me not to consume dairy, she quickly discovered that she could save me a portion of her chowder before she added cream- her last step.

When I got married and left home, I began making my own chowder, but mine is completely non-dairy.  I like the idea that my mother's recipe is the base for mine, but that it can change and grow with each generation. 

Dairy Free Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

• 1 small leek, rinsed and chopped roughly
• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6-8 strips of pepper bacon
• 3 cans of clams, drained
• 1 bottle of clam juice
• 3 carrots, chopped roughly
• 6 potatoes, peeled and chopped roughly
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
• 1 tsp. Tabasco/ hot sauce
• 6 cups chicken broth (more if your potatoes are large or you add optional ingredients)
• a bunch of parsley chopped
• Optional ingredients:  Sweet potatoes, other fish, scallions, shallots, anything that sounds good to you!

1. In a large pot cook bacon then remove to drain.  Pour out all but 1 Tbsp of the grease.
2. Saute onions, garlic, and leeks until slightly soft.  Add carrots for about 1 minute.
3. Add clams, juice, potatoes, broth, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and any optional ingredients you desire.  Cook until all veggies are VERY soft.
4. Either mash by hand or blend the soup with a food processor until creamy.  Crush and stir in bacon and parsley.  
5. Serve with fresh bread and a delicious dessert!
6. Enjoy!