Black Dog Quahog Chowder

Sauté salt pork or bacon in a large pot until translucent.

Add the onions and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.

Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the juice from the quahogs (or clams) and add potatoes and seasonings. If using canned clams, purchase extra clam juice to supplement for needed juice.

Simmer this mixture until potatoes are tender. This should take about 10 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. When it is bubbling, add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. This is called a roux, prounced "rue."

Roughly chop the quahogs, reserving any liquid (or just use fresh or canned chopped clams).

When the potatoes are tender, add quahogs (or clams) to the large pot and simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the roux and continue simmering for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. This is your chowder base.

In a separate saucepan, scald the cream by heating it until small bubble appear around the edges of the pan. Do not boil.

. Stir the hot scalded cream into the chowder base, mix together, and remove from heat.

. At The Black Dog, they serve this soup with a dollop of butter, accompanied by oyster crackers or crusty bread.