Clam Chowder, New England Style

1 lb. of diced russet potatoes, leave the skin on (about 1 big one should do it)
1/c c. onion, diced
4-6 strips of bacon (save the grease)
2 T. bacon grease
1 T. flour (approximately)
2 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream (not half & half)
2 - 10 oz cans of clams OR the equivalent in fresh clams (the best are when you dig them up yourself, maybe in the Hood Canal - that is what inspired me to start this recipe)
1 bottle of clam juice (you may use the liquid from the canned clams, but the bottled clam juice may be more flavorful)
parsley, about 1 handful dried, more if fresh
salt & pepper, to taste

In a large pot, cook bacon. It should be pretty crisp. Remove & place on paper towels. In the same pot saute the diced onions. Add the diced potatoes & saute until the potatoes are coated with the grease. Add flour and saute until potatoes & onions are coated.
Add clam juice and bring to a boil while stirring. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer with the lid on. Cook with the lid on for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir.
Combine the milk and heavy cream. Add mixture, bacon (chopped into bits) & clams. Stir & heat through until hot, NOT boiling. While heating, add salt & pepper to taste. Add parsley.
Serve hot. If you want to make it pretty, set aside some bacon &/or parsley & garnish with bacon &/or parsley.

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

about 3 lbs of Small Potatoes, white or red

2-3 mounds of regular table salt (overflowing in you hand), basically a whole lotta salt

place in water enough to cover pototoes

bring to a boil

cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender

drain

eat w/ lots o' butter



If you go to a clam bake in Syracuse, NY you will find lots of clams, salt potatoes swimming in melted butter, but a good size pat of butter works just a good.



These are also great to eat cold w/o the butter plain or in a salad.



Here is some history I found too:



The salt potato got its start in the late 1800s, when salt was distilled by boiling water from marshes around Syracuse, NY. Workers, many of them Irish, would put potatoes in boiling vats and the have them for lunch. (By Kim Serverson, The New York Times)