Manhattan Clam Chowder
You ever have those moments where you are craving something? I’m sure you have, we all get cravings, and I had cravings for clams for some time now. I have no idea why, most likely from the cold weather we have been having in Wisconsin, but clams of all things, really? I think I have had my mind on clams casino for some time now, and hence why I’ve been thinking of them, or maybe it was the fried clam po-boy I made some time ago, but I was leaning more on the side of a chowder, a great clam chowder at that. When I was going to make my clam chowder, I decided to put a halt on it, and go with something different, hence this Manhattan clam chowder.
Now if you have never heard of Manhattan clam chowder, well, you are basically getting all of the wonderful seafood flavor from the clams and stock, but not using the heavy cream and milk, which I preferred this time around to safe on some of those calories. The result is the same, comforting bowl of soup you would expect in a clam chowder but with a tomato based broth which is to die for.
Let’s get started.
- 5 slices of bacon, diced, and cooked, fat reserved
- 1 whole onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 ribs of celery, diced
- 12 oz tomato juice
- 4 large yukon gold potatoes, peeled, and cubed
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 4 cups of shrimp stock (or clam or seafood)
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 28 oz chopped sea clams
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- salt to taste
- dash of worchestershire sauce
- dash of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
Begin by cooking your bacon on medium heat in a large skillet. During this time, prepare your vegetables.
Once the bacon is cooked, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a paper towel. Reserve two tablespoons of the bacon fat, and return back to medium heat. Toss in the onions, carrots, and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes to sweat the vegetables. Toss in the garlic, cooking for a couple of more minutes, then toss the bacon back into the mixture, giving it a good toss.
Next, get a large pot on the stove, and bring that up to medium heat.
Add the vegetable mixture from skillet into the soup pot, then toss in the potatoes, giving those a good stir. Add in the bay leaves, thyme, tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, clams, and stock, giving that a good stir. Â Season with a pinch of salt, and the cracked black pepper. Add the Tabasco and worchestershire sauce, give another stir, and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook for about an hour or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Ladle into a bowl, and you are all set with some delicious Manhattan clam chowder. This one might have you thinking about all of that heavy cream in the traditional one. Packed with tons of flavor, and loaded with all of those delicious vegetables and clams, this chowder is a winner. I hope you enjoy.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 5 slices of bacon diced, and cooked, fat reserved
- 1 whole onion diced
- 1 large carrot diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 ribs of celery diced
- 12 oz tomato juice
- 4 large yukon gold potatoes peeled, and cubed
- 5 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 4 cups of shrimp stock or clam or seafood
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 28 oz chopped sea clams
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- salt to taste
- dash of worchestershire sauce
- dash of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
- Begin by cooking your bacon on medium heat in a large skillet. During this time, prepare your vegetables.
- Once the bacon is cooked, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a paper towel. Reserve two tablespoons of the bacon fat, and return back to medium heat. Toss in the onions, carrots, and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes to sweat the vegetables. Toss in the garlic, cooking for a couple of more minutes, then toss the bacon back into the mixture, giving it a good toss.
- Next, get a large pot on the stove, and bring that up to medium heat.
- Add the vegetable mixture from skillet into the soup pot, then toss in the potatoes, giving those a good stir. Add in the bay leaves, thyme, tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, clams, and stock, giving that a good stir. Season with a pinch of salt, and the cracked black pepper. Add the Tabasco and worchestershire sauce, give another stir, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook for about an hour or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Ladle into a bowl, and you are all set with some delicious Manhattan clam chowder. This one might have you thinking about all of that heavy cream in the traditional one.
