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1
Scrub clams thoroughly in cold water to remove as much sand as possible.
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2
Combine clams, wine, clam juice and water in a deep skillet with lid. Bring to a rapid boil, covered, shaking periodically, until clams are fully opened. Remove clams from liquid with slotted spoon and let cool.
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3
Simmer liquid over medium high heat and reduce by half. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and reserve.
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4
Wipe skillet with damp cloth to remove any remaining sand. Add bacon and butter over medium high heat, cook for 10 minutes or until mildly crisp. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon , drain on paper towels and reserve.
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5
Pour off all but 2 Tbsp of fat from pan, return to medium heat, add shallots, peppers and celery. Saute until soft, not brown, about 10 minutes.
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6
Add potatoes to skillet , stir to coat, and cook for an additional 10 minutes until soft. Then combine tomatoes and garlic with other ingredients in the skillet. Toss to coat and soften, 1 minute.
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7
Transfer vegetable mixture to 3 Qt. sauce pan. Add reserve clam liquid, careful not to add any remaining grit accumulated in the bottom of the bowl, bring to medium simmer. Using an immersable blender, blend vegetable mixture, leaving some chunks. (A more pot-intensive solution is to remove 1/2 of the vegetable mixture and blend until smooth with a hand mixer or blender)
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8
Remove clams from shells and roughly chop. Add clams and reserved bacon to the soup, along with oregano. Let cook for 3-4 minutes to heat through. Serve accompanied by good bread.
