Smoky Bacon-Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 8 ounce bottled clam juice 
• 16 ounce shucked clams fresh chopped
• 0.3 cup flour 
• 3 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped
• 4 cups milk 1% low-fat
• 0.5 cup onion chopped
• 2 cups potatoes diced refrigerated with onions such as simply potatoes
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 3 slices center-cut bacon reduced-fat

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• ladle
• knife
• measuring cup
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 6 minutes or until crisp.
2. Drain bacon on a paper towel, and crumble.
3. Add onion to pan, and saut 3 minutes.
4. Add potato; saut 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Stir flour into potato mixture, and cook 1 minute.
5. Add clam juice, and stir well. Stir in milk; cook over medium-low heat 11 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 11 minutes or until potato is tender.
6. Drain clams, reserving 2 cups liquid. Stir in clams and reserved clam liquid, and cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in parsley, pepper, and salt. Ladle into bowls; top with crumbled bacon.