Amazing Corn and Seafood Chowder

Chowder, who doesn't like chowder? There are so many varieties of chowder there is something for everyone. Chowder is typically flavored with salt pork or fatback and thickened with flour or more classically with crushed saltine crackers and finished with milk or cream in most places.
There are red or tomato based versions of chowder like Manhattan and Minorcan (originating on the island of Minorca off the coast of Spain) and is fiery, its heat derived from the Datil pepper. I like both varieties and am giving you the recipe for my version of this creamy American favorite.

It is a comfort food to me and I enjoy it year around, with a good loaf of crusty bread and butter. Enjoy.........

Recipe

1/4 cup butter
2 ounces salt pork cut into small pieces
1 large onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tbsp AP flour
1 quart of stock, clam of fish
2 large potatoes peeled and diced 
3 cups fresh corn cut off the cob 
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
3 cups light cream
1/2 lb shrimp peeled and deveined 
1/2 lb bay scallops
3 dozen littleneck clams shucked or 2 7oz cans of chopped clams 
1 good size fillet of grouper or any firm white fish cut into approx 2 inch pieces
1/2 lb calamari tubes thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a large stock or chowder pot melt butter and saute salt pork until golden and crispy. Add your onion and garlic and cook until onions are softened about 5 minutes.
Add the flour to onion mixture and make your roux and mix thoroughly. Add your stock and bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes, corn, bay leaf, thyme and Italian parsley. Simmer until the potatoes are just tender.
Add cream and bring back to a low simmer and add the shrimp, scallops, shucked clams and fish pieces.
Cook until fish is just done and then add sliced calamari and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Season chowder with salt and pepper and server at once.