Market Street Grill's Clam Chowder

for me clam chowder and i have had a life long love affair. at market street grill they have probably the best clam chowder ever! (best i've tasted at least) anyway, a while back my mom found the recipe and made it for our family and i was so impressed. it tasted just as good at home as it does at the restaurant. i don't know why i didn't think to post this recipe earlier but i am making the chowder this week so i thought i'd post it. the recipe makes 12 servings so for us small families i would probably half it and eat the leftovers for the next few days.

Ingredients:
1 cup potatoes, diced ½ inch
1 cup celery, diced ½ inch
1 cup onion, diced ½ inch
1 cup green pepper, diced ½ inch
1 cup leeks, diced ½ inch
¾ cup chopped clams (canned or fresh)
¾ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon salt
¾ tablespoon whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
¾ cup sherry wine (optional)
2 cups water
¾ cup clam juice (drained from canned clams or purchased separately in can)
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 quarts half-and-half

Directions:
Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half-and-half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately.