Five Clam Chowder with Blissful Mash

Ingredients

Broth:

• 3 corn cobs (corn kernels removed and reserved)
• 2 diced leeks
• 1/2 head of garlic
• 3/4 chopped onion
• 1/4 bunch thyme
• Bacon rind or smoked ham hock
• Stalk celery chopped
• 4 quahog clams
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3 cups of chicken broth fresh or canned
• 1/4 cup butter

Blissful Mash:

• 8 medium red bliss potatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• Salt and pepper

Steaming clams:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoon garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 12 cockles
• 12 mahoganies
• 12 littleneck clams
• 6 razor clams
• 12 steamer clams
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1/4 cup of diced rendered bacon

Directions

Melt butter in a 4 quart pot and add corn cobs, leeks, garlic, onion, thyme, bacon rind, celery, quahog, salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent (no color on vegetable). Add white wine and chicken broth and simmer until the quahogs are open. Strain and reserve broth. Cook potatoes in salted water until soft. Heat the butter and heavy cream. Strain the potatoes and add warm cream and butter. Mash potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste. In a 16-inch hotel pan, melt butter and reserved corn with garlic and chopped thyme. Then add all clams and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Cover and steam until clams are open. Warm the reserve broth, add cream, diced celery, salt, pepper, and rendered bacon. Place a dollop of blissful mashed potatoes in each bowl. Pile 2 cockles, 2 mahoganies, 1 razor clam, 2 littlenecks and 2 steamers on top. Ladle 8 ounces of the chowder broth over clams and adjust the seasoning