Moo's Very Best Clam Chowder

Prepare 10 dozen clams for steaming (i.e., soak in water and cornmeal to clean the sand out of the clam. If particularly sandy, you might have to change water/cornmeal more than once.). Steam until clams open and can be easily removed from shells. Save 1 ½ cups of the clam broth, poured through cheese cloth to catch any residual sand.

In a kettle, sauté 1 ½ cups diced onion in a generous amount of butter until soft and transparent but not brown. Add 2 ½ cups diced potatoes and the reserved clam broth. Simmer 20 minutes. Add clams and simmer 5 minutes. In a sauce pan, heat 2 ½ cups milk and ¾ cup heavy cream (or sour cream). Pour into the soup pot and add 2 t. salt and ½ t. crushed thyme, pepper to taste. Make a mixture of butter and flour (roux), add to hot soup. Do not allow to boil. Finally add 2 cups chicken broth. When plating the soup, add a pat of butter to the top of each bowl.