Manhattan and New England Clam Chowder

Recipes from Bostwick’s Chowder House; East Hampton, NY

Manhattan Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bacon (can sub with 2 more Tbsp olive oil)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 ounces of tomato juice, strained tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
• 1 14-ounce can of clam broth or juice*
• 2 10-ounce cans of baby clams, juice reserved*
• 1 pound waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• A dozen or so live small clams, such as littlenecks or Manila clams
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Tabasco or other hot sauce

*If using fresh quahogs, scrub clean a dozen or more quahogs. Place clams in a small pot and add two cups of water. Bring water to a boil. Cover the pot and steam the clams until they completely open, about 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove clams from pot and set aside. Strain the clam steaming liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to catch any grit, reserving the liquid. Remove the clams from the shells, chop. Use chopped clams in place of canned. Use steaming liquid in place of clam broth.

Method:

1. Render the bacon fat. Slowly cook the bacon with the olive oil until the bacon is crispy. Remove, chop and set aside. Turn the heat to medium-high and sauté the carrots, celery and onion until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Do not brown the vegetables. Return chopped bacon to the pot.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the herbs, tomato juice, clam broth and the juice from the canned clams, mix well, then add the potatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently until the potatoes are done, about 30-40 minutes.
3. When the potatoes are tender, add the canned clams and the live clams, cover the pot and simmer until the live clams open up, about 5-10 minutes. Add Tabasco, salt and black pepper to taste.

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks (reserve tender leaves) trimmed, quartered lengthwise, then sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 (10-ounce) cans chopped clams in juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound Idaho potatoes, cut into 1/2- inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, mixing often. Stir in the flour to distribute evenly.
2. Add the stock, juice from 2 cans of chopped clams (reserve clams), cream, bay leaves, and potatoes and stir to combine.
3. Bring to a simmer, stirring consistently (the mixture will thicken), then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are nice and tender.
4. Then add clams and season to taste with salt and pepper, cook until clams are just firm, another 2 minutes.

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