Manhattan Clam Chowder

By Lucy Olschan March 22, 2015

Prep Time : 10 minutes
Cook Time : 35 minutes
Yield : 4 servings
Allergens : shellfish

Ingredients

Little Neck Clams - 1 dozen
Chopped Clams - 2 cans with juice
Bacon - 3 slices
Yellow Onion - about 1/2, diced
Celery - 2 ribs, diced
Carrot - 1 large, diced
Red Potato - about 2 medium, peeled and diced
Zucchini - 1 small, diced
Diced Tomatoes - One 14oz can
Pepper - to taste
Italian Flat Leaf Parsley - 1 table spoon chopped
Thyme - 1/2 tea spoon
Caraway Seed - 1/2 tea spoon
Dried Chives - 1/2 tea spoon

Instructions

Dice bacon and cook in a heavy saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, stirring, until starting to crisp up, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in potato, chopped clams with the juice, tomatoes including the juice, 4 cups of water, spices and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes. Stir in clams and zucchini and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until clams open wide, 8 to 10 minutes more. (Discard any clams that have not opened after 10 minutes - it means they are bad) Remove pan from heat.

Stir in parsley and taste. I usually don't add any salt as the bacon and clams are salty enough, but you can add salt and pepper to your liking. If you enjoy a little kick, add tabasco or red crushed pepper.

Best served hot with a slice of crusty bead. Make sure to ladle some clams in a shell into each bowl.

As I look out of the window on this first day of spring, I frown. Snow is coming down in big heavy flakes and doesn’t seem to wanna let up. I so want it to be spring already, or better yet, the summer. Can’t wait to bring the peanut for a playdate in the sand. I have been looking to introducing him to everything the shore has to offer. And suddenly it strikes me. I have to cook something that just evokes summer, seafood of some sort, to remind us of things to come.

Then my husband, who yet again was forced to install his plow back on the truck and go out plowing, calls to say that he will be home in an hour and wants some soup to warm him up. Manhattan clam chowder it is. Wonderful combination of both ideas – summer in a bowl full of sweet clams yet hearty to warm you right up. I also like that I can make it nice and sweet for myself (don’t really do well with spicy foods) yet I can add a nice kick to my husband’s bowl by adding a little red crushed pepper, just like he likes it.

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