New England Clam Chowder (aka The Best Clam Chowder You May Ever Eat)

Source: Mel has done it again! (but I made a few minor adjustments, in italics, as usual)

Ingredients:
5 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams (whoa nelly! that's a lot of clams - I have used either 2-3 and it's plenty clammy for us)
2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I added 1 15 oz can)
1 1/2 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and small diced (about 3 medium potatoes) (I don't even peel them because I'm lazy; I like red potatoes, too)
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons butter (I didn't measure, but it was probably half this) (*update: my favorite version was probably closer to the actual 4 TB, though I still didn't measure)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1 cup diced celery (about 4 medium stalks)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk (my favorite version was 1.5 cups 2% milk)
1 cup half and half (I always just skip this and it's plenty thick for us)
1 teaspoon salt (I reduced this to 1/2 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:
Drain the clams, reserving the juice. Set both the clams and juice aside.

In a 5- or 6-quart pot, combine the clam juice, broth and potatoes (the potatoes will just barely be covered with liquid; it's important they are diced small). Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, in a second pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir in the onions, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, 5-7 minutes.  (Note: make sure that celery gets soft - mine was still a bit crunchy and that was a bummer.)

Stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and half and half, stirring quickly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture has thickened, 4-5 minutes.

Stir the creamy mixture into the potatoes, whisking quickly until combined (take out the bay leaf if it's getting in the way). Stir in the salt, pepper, vinegar, and reserved clams. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Stir in any of the reserved clam juice to thin the consistency, if desired (I always desire). Serve. (Note: when I made the second time, I let it cool and then refrigerated it and warmed it up quickly the next day to serve to my birthday guests - it was fantastic and so easy!)

Notes:

So Gregg's favorite soup of all time is Clam Chowder.  He orders it at nearly every restaurant that we go to that offers it (especially if we're in a coastal area).  When I make it at home (usually only once or twice a year) he raves about it and can't stop ladling more into his bowl.  I follow Mel's Kitchen Cafe blog religiously and when she posted this recipe a few months ago, I knew I had to give it a try.  I've never bought the bottled clam juice before, and I thought 5 cans of clams seemed like a TON, but I added everything to my shopping list anyway, because I trust Mel.  When it came time to make the soup, though, I just couldn't imagine putting all those clams inside.  So I only used two.  And then I had three cans left in my cupboard, just waiting to be used in the future.  And the future was my birthday.  I invited my family over for soup and bread bowls and German Chocolate Bundt Cake (recipes for those goodies coming soon, just you wait) and I think the clam chowder was the star of the dinner.  Gregg, of course, loaded up.  And his Dad told me it was the best chowder he's ever had, even better than Ivar's famous.  What a compliment!  And I owe it all to my pal, Mel.