I found this recipe in Michael Smith's 'The best of Chef at Home:'
Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, chopped
a splash of water
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
a generous splash of any white wine
1 cup of heavy cream (35%)
1 cup of milk
2 x 5oz cans of clam meat
1 large baking potato (unpeeled), coarsely grated
2 bay leaves
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
12oz can of unsweetened evaporated milk
a sprinkle or two of sea salt and freshly grated pepper
a handful of flat leaf parsley leaves
"Toss the bacon pieces into a thick-bottomed stockpot with a splash of water. By adding water to the raw bacon you're less likely to burn it as it gradually releases its fat and browns evenly.
Stir over medium-high heat until the bacon crisps nicely.
Pour off most of the fat. Add another splash of water to loosen the flavourful bits on the the bottom and then add the onions and celery. Saute them for a few minutes until they soften and smell great.
Add the white wine, cream, milk, clam meat, grated potato, and bay and thyme leaves. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down a notch or two and continue simmering until the grated potato softens, releasing its starches and thickening the chowder, about 20 minutes. "
I didn't have any wine around, nor any bacon... but I had some leftover pancetta from a while ago. So I subbed in water for the wine and pancetta for the bacon. I ended up thickening it at the end with some cream of wheat.
It was alright, but missing a little je ne sais quoi... maybe it's because I didn't use wine. The alcohol is supposed to bring the clam's flavors out into the chowder (those flavors that are alcohol-soluble). Maybe I'll try adding some cheese next time...