Schamelot To-Die-For Clam Chowder

This is absolutely delicious. We werve it with biscuits or french baguettes. You could add a salad, but my bet is people will want seconds of chowder rather than salad. This makes about 12 quarts.

1/4 bacon fat or oil
3 onions, diced
5 celery ribs, diced
4 carrots, diced
6 red potatoes, diced
clam juice plus water to make 8 cups
2 bay leaves

3 sticks butter
1.5 cups flour
1 pint heavy cream
1 pint milk
water to make desired consistency

24 oz. salad shrimp
8 oz. frozen corn
6 cans chopped clams, juice reserved

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 tablepoon salt

Saute onions in large stock pot. Add celery. Saute 5 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots and bay leaves. Add clam juice and water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and milk and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Pour into vegetables and add more water to get desired consistency.

When ready to serve, stir in shrimp and corn. Heat through. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.