Panhandle Chowder

Panhandle Chowder
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped red potatoes, with skins
1 cup chopped clams (canned or frozen will do)
3/4 pound fresh fish, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (see note)
1 1/2 tablespoons clam soup base (see note)
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup vegetable cooking oil
1 quart heavy cream
1 pint half-and-half cream
Water
Place all vegetables into stock pot, adding enough water to cover. Stir in soup base; bring to boil. Add half-and-half and heavy cream; bring to boil again. In a separate pot, heat oil to smoking, Add flour, stirring from bottom to prevent scorching. Stir until lightly browned (as in making a roux).
Remove from heat, add two ladles of broth from stock pot, then stir continuously to ensure no lumps. Continue adding stock to flour mixture, stirring to avoid lumps. Add fish and clams to pot. Bring to boil, then remove from heat.
Serves 12.
Cook's note: Keller uses grouper for this recipe, but any white fish is fine. Clam soup base is available in markets in paste form, or in the form of European-style bouillon cubes.
That Place On 98, Eastpoint, Fla.