*2/20/15: See my updated Manhattan Clam Chowder Redux post (new and updated)!
Soup, soup, soup....I love soup! I've been feeling the need for some clam chowder lately, so I finally got myself together and made some early this afternoon. It was so incredibly satisfying...I was swooning in my kitchen. I mopped it up with a loaf of french bread and washed it down with some red wine...
My Manhattan Clam Chowder
by
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Keywords: soup/stew bacon clams potatoes tomatoes American
Ingredients (serves 12-15)
- 1/2 pound bacon, diced
- 1-2 tablespoons butter
- 4 shallots, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme (or a scant tablespoon dry)
- 2 pounds red potatoes, diced
- 2-3 cups clam juice
- 4 cups fish stock, seafood stock, or water
- 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes w/ juices
- big handful chopped fresh parsley
- 3 cans (~18 ounces total) whole or chopped clams (reserve juice)
- sea salt
- freshly ground black or white pepper
Instructions
In a Dutch Oven over low heat, cook bacon until almost done; drain all but a couple Tbs of bacon grease off. Add butter to pot. Turn up to medium & add onions, celery & carrot. Cook ~10 minutes or until soft.
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| start with bacon...always. |
Add garlic, bay leaves, crushed red pepper & thyme. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add potatoes, clam juice & water/stock. Raise heat to high & bring to a boil; Gently boil for ~15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add tomatoes w/ their juices. Cook another 10 minutes or so. Turn heat to low & add clams & parsley. Season to taste w/ salt & pepper. Don’t re-boil once clams are added, or they will get tough.
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| add the veggies |
Serve w/ a loaf of crusty bread & a bottle of wine
To "dice" the bacon, I put a 1 lb. package of bacon in the freezer for ~45 minutes or so, then cut in half crosswise, then slice into small strips. These will break down nicely into a dice.
For the clams, I use 2 (6.5 oz ea.) cans of chopped clams & 1 (5 oz) can of whole baby clams. I like to bit into some bigger chunks sometimes. Feel free to use a combo or just one kind; again, personal preference.
Serve w/ a loaf of crusty bread & a bottle of wine.
I usually roast a head of garlic, too. Mop up yummy soup w/ bread…. All these ingredients can be tweaked to your own liking…don’t have to be exact, just use them as a guideline.
The crushed red pepper adds a little heat…nice against the juicy pop of the clam in your mouth….enjoy This makes a really big batch of soup. I’m sure it will half fine if you don’t need so much.
