Manhattan Clam Chowder

Sue Lau's Note:

I'll take Manhattan.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 3 (10 ounce) cans baby clams, drained (juice reserved)
• 3 cups clam juice (or water)
• 3 ounces salt pork, finely minced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced leek (white part only)
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
• 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)

Directions:

1. Place the salt pork in the soup pot and cook until the fat renders; add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks and green peppers to the fat and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add the garlic and cook until it becomes aromatic, then add the clam juice (or water, if using), the reserved juice from the clams, the diced tomatoes, the bay leaf, the thyme, and oregano; simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and simmer until they are tender, about 20-25 minutes more.
4. Skim the soup for fat or chill to allow it to rise and remove; discard bay leaf.
5. If chilled, heat through, then add clams and seasonings (salt, pepper, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and Old Bay).
6. Serve when hot, about 2-3 minutes after adding clams.

Reviews

[Paula5]

A spicy, tantalizing dish that people raved about. I used a spicy turkey-sun-dried tomato sausage (Sam's Club) instead of salt pork, and omitted the green peppers (because I was out) and the Old Bay (ditto) -- still just fabulous. I didn't have to skim fat, because I used the lean sausage. I, too, will take Manhattan.

[Lauren-Grace]

The best Manhatten Clam Chowder ever. This was a two day process. I used salt pork and made the soup according to your directions. I let if refrigerate overnight, then peeled away the fat layer (yuk). Right before it was time to eat, I heated it up and finished the recipe like you directed. The flavor was awesome and due in large part to the salt pork and seasonings. My family was impressed with me. Thanks for making me look so good.

[Chef #1520721]

This recipe was pretty good, but not very clammy, and it was a little thin for me.