Newport Clam Chowder with Mama's Biscuits

 

Newport Beach Clam Chowder

½ cup butter

1 large chopped sweet onion

1 leek, trimmed, washed thoroughly and sliced

6 pieces of bacon, diced

4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed

2-4  284 mls canned clams (keep juice for pot) How many clams you want is your preference

3-4 236 ml. bottles of clam juice

3 cups half and half cream

¾ cup flour

Bay leaf

Herbs:  thyme, dill,

Method

In a frying pan, over medium low heat, cook bacon and potatoes together until bacon is crisp and potatoes are soft.  Drain on a paper towel.

In a medium sized soup pot over medium heat, add butter and melt.  Then add onions, leeks and herbs.  Saute until onions and leeks are soft.  Add potatoes and bacon.  Then add flour and whisk all of the ingredients.  Add clams with liquid and clam juice and stir.  Add cream, simmer and stir.  Adjust seasonings if need be.  Enjoy!

Mama’s Biscuits

 (From Reece Witherspoon’s book Whiskey in a Tea Cup)

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

4 tbsp. cold butter or vegetable shortening

2/3 or ¾ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Cut in the butter/shortening with pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add the buttermilk, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface; knead 3-4 times.

Roll the dough to ½ inch thickness; cut with 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter or small glass/cup.  Place the biscuits on a greased baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes or until the tops are golden.