AUNT PAT'S CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• 1. Thoroughly cook the bacon and set aside. Leave several Tbsp of bacon grease in the pan and saute the celery and onions in it. Dice potatoes and put in a pot. Pour diced tomatoes and their juices over and and just enough water to cover.
• 2. Coarsely chop or pulse in a food processor the clams a few at a time. **Reserve any liquid from the clams and set aside**
• 3. Add the sauteed celery and onions to the pot, then add the clams and cabbage.
• 4. Finely dice the fresh parsley and remove the thyme from the stems. Add to the pot. Simmer on very low heat until the potatoes are tender.
• 5. Right before serving crumble the bacon over the top.
• 6. DO NOT ADD SALT to this recipe. Taste as you cook, if you feel it needs salt, add a little bit of the reserved clam juice instead and a little black pepper to taste. The clam juice can easily over-salt a dish so only add small amounts at a time.