Smoky Clam Chowder with Charred Corn and Oyster-Cracker Crumbs

Read through the recipe, then gather the equipment and use the ingredient lines to prepare and measure everything. Keep the scrubbed clams in the refrigerator under a damp towel until they go in the pot. Everything is prepared and measured before the pot goes on the heat.

Steam 4 lb littleneck clams with 1 cup dry white wine in a covered 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat. As the clams open, lift them into the large bowl with tongs and cover the pot again each time. Keep going until every clam that will open has opened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Throw away any clams that stay shut.

Shell the clams over the bowl so their juice collects, then chop the meat into bite-size pieces. Cover the meat and refrigerate it until the chowder is nearly done. All the clam meat is chopped and chilled.

Strain the liquid from the pot and the bowl slowly through the lined strainer into the measuring cup, stopping before the grit at the bottom. Add 1/2–1 cups water, only as much as you need to reach 2 1/2 cups of liquid in all. Rinse and dry the pot. The strained liquor is clear, with no grit.

Cook 4 oz thick-cut bacon in the clean pot over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the fat has melted out and the pieces are crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Lift the bacon onto the lined plate with the slotted spoon. Spoon off the fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pot.

Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika until fragrant. Sprinkle in 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and stir constantly over medium heat until the flour coats the vegetables and smells toasty, not raw, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the measured clam liquor a little at a time, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot so no lumps form. Add 1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes and the bay leaf, if using. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then turn to low heat so it bubbles gently. Partly cover and simmer until a potato cube crushes easily against the side of the pot, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels in one layer and cook, stirring only once or twice, until charred in spots and sweet-smelling, about 6 to 8 minutes. Scrape the corn into a bowl.

Wipe out the skillet and melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter in it over medium heat. Add 1 cup oyster crackers and 1/2 tsp seafood seasoning and toss until the crumbs are golden and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Move them to a small bowl.

Stir 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream into the pot over low heat. Warm the chowder until it steams and small bubbles form at the edge, without letting it boil, about 5 minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the chopped clams, the charred corn and half of the cooked bacon. Cover and let the chowder stand until the clams are warm and the broth thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Lift out the bay leaf, if you used it.

Taste a spoonful with a piece of clam and potato. Aim for briny and sweet, a little smoky, rich but not heavy. If it tastes flat, add flaky kosher salt to taste; if it tastes heavy or one-note, add black pepper to taste. The clam liquor is already salty, so add salt a little at a time and taste again. The chowder tastes briny, sweet and well seasoned.

Ladle the chowder into warm bowls to make 4 servings, dividing the potatoes and clams evenly. Stir 2 tbsp fresh chives into 2 tbsp olive oil and spoon it over the bowls, then top them with the other half of the bacon, the cracker crumbs and black pepper to taste, and serve with the lemon wedges. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat them over low heat, stirring, to 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. The chowder is portioned and garnished.