Native Potato Soup

Chef Marc Forgione is the executive chef and owner of his eponymous restaurant, Marc Forgione, in New York City. Forgione was recently awarded his second Michelin star in the 2011 guide, making him the youngest American-born chef and owner to receive the honor in consecutive years (2010, 2011). He is currently a contestant on Season 3 of The Next Iron Chef on Food Network.

Ingredients:
Serves 6
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
2 cups heavy cream
1 large sweet potato (12-14 oz.), peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ounces bacon, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 sprigs thyme, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped mint
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon A rarat (available at laboitepice.com) or smoked paprika
Salt-water crackers

Preparation:
1. Cook the Clams: Pour the water and wine into a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the clams, cover, and cook until they pop open, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the clams to a bowl, discarding any that have not opened. Strain the liquid from the pot. Set aside and reserve. When cool enough to handle, remove the clams from their shells and set aside.

2. Make Sweet Potato Cream: Put cream and sliced sweet potato in a medium pot and cook until potato is cooked through. Puree in blender until smooth and pass through a fine mesh strainer.

3. Cook the Chowder: In a large pot, melt the butter with the bacon over medium-high heat until the bacon is crispy. Add the onion, garlic, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Sauté until the onion is translucent, approximately 4 minutes. Add the diced sweet potatoes, reserved clam juice, and sweet potato cream. Simmer until the diced sweet potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Fish out and discard the bay leaves. Add mussels and cook until they open. Return the clams to the pot. Stir in the parsley and mint; season to taste with salt and pepper. Finish with Ararat.

4. To Serve: Ladle the soup into 6 warm bowls and serve with salt-water crackers alongside.

This Soup recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p9'.