If you insist on New England style, I can't help help you, Shel. Most of the rest of the Atlantic coast doesn't use milk or cream. And, of course, Manhatten style is tomato based.
Here, for instance, is the basic recipe used along the coastal mid-South:
4 Irish potatos, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 dozen chowder clams, chopped, and their juices
1 tsp black pepper
Water
In a large saucepan, cover potatoes and onions with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add clams and their juices. Boil for 3 minutes. Add pepper.
To make this thicker, cornmeal mixed with some water can be added before the final 3 minutes of cooking.
Most of the time some sort of fat, usually in the form of salt pork or bacon, is used. Here's one version:
1 qt chopped clams
1/4 lb salt pork
2 qts water
5 medium potatoes, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
Corn meal dumplings*
Dice salt pork, fry until crisp and golden brown. Put fried pork into pot in which chowder is to be cooked. Add chopped clams, water and seasoning. Cook slowly until clams are tender (2-3 hours). Then add potatoes and onions, and cook until potatoes are doen. Drop in corn meal dumplings on top of chowder. Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes.
*1 cup corn meal
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Water to make dough
Combine ingredients. Shape and press dough into small thin patties. Place on top of stew or chowder.
For a really hearty clam chowder, here's one from the Maryland Office of Seafood Marketing:
Maryland Clam Chowder
2 qts water
1/4 cup chicken stock base
3 stalks celery, including tops, chopped
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced potatoes
1 10-oz pkg frozen corn
1 10-oz pkg frozen peas
1 tbls chopped chives
2 tbls instant minced onion
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 tsp lemon & pepper seasoning
2 cups clam juice
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
24 oz fresh or canned ground or minced hard shell clams, including juice
1 whole pimento, chopped fine
1 tsp parsley flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste
Bring water to boil. Add chicken stock base and mix well. Add all ingredients through clam juice and simmer untill vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 5 minutes more.
Makes about 4 quarts.
Note: For an especially elegant version, add 1 dozen shucked Chesapeake Bay soft shell clams with final ingredients.
Well, these should give you a start.
