Servings: 4

Chunk of salt pork with excess salt rinsed off, heavy rind removed and cut into bite size pieces (if making this during lent you can leave this out, just use a little more butter. Thick bacon can be used if no salt pork is available.) Chunk of salt pork with excess salt rinsed off, heavy rind removed and cut into bite size pieces (if making this during lent you can leave this out, just use a little more butter. Thick bacon can be used if no salt pork is available.)
1/2 teaspoon butter ½ teaspoon butter
1 cup onion, minced 1 cup onion, minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced 1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2-3 cans clams (6-1/2 ounces - I use a combination of minced and chopped) 2 to 3 cans clams (6-½ ounces - I use a combination of minced and chopped)
1 cup bottled clam juice 1 cup bottled clam juice
1-1/2 cups Half and Half 1-½ cups Half and Half
1/4 teaspoon white pepper ¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled (really good if boiled in chicken broth) 2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled (really good if boiled in chicken broth)
2 ears corn 2 ears corn

Dice and boil the potatoes.
In a heavy-bottomed, 4-pint soup kettle, sauté salt port and/or melt butter.
Remove salt port and save to add at the end.
Sauté onion and garlic over low heat. Do not brown.
Drain clams and set aside, reserving the juice.
Slowly stir the flour and then the clam juices in the sauté mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
Add Half and Half and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add white pepper, potatoes and clams.
Heat to serving temperature. If using salt pork, add now. Do not allow to boil, as this toughens the clams. If you wish to add any other herbs such as parsley, basil, etc. you can do so at any time depending on if you want them cooked into the sauté or added mainly for garnish at the end.