Manhattan Clam Chowder Recipe from ‘1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die’
By Mimi Sheraton
Photo: Food & Drink Photo/Alamy
As succulent as the creamy salt pork, potato, onion, and mollusk combination known as New England clam chowder can be, New Yorkers tend to vote in favor of their own Manhattan version, with a light tomato broth that allows the essence of clams to come through clear and briny. Best when not thickened by starch, it’s a minestrone-like soup, bright with carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, and plenty of chopped, giant chowder clams, accented by the defining flavor of thyme; unfortunately, a cornstarch-laden version from a can tends to be ubiquitous in the Greek coffee shops of New York, especially on Fridays, a holdover from the time when Catholics could not eat meat on that day. These days, the local chowder tends to reach its summit at Aquagrill in Soho, and (usually) at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal, if it has not thickened down as the day wears on.
Outside of Manhattan, the best results may be ensured by home preparation. The flavor improves after twenty-four hours, so it’s best to prepare the chowder a day ahead and reheat it before serving.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Serves 6 as an appetizer
20 to 24 large chowder clams, or 40 to 48 cherrystone clams, opened, with their liquor
2 medium carrots, scraped and diced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 can (about 20 ounces) whole tomatoes with their liquid
2 to 3 cups boiling water, as needed
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
1 large boiling potato, peeled and diced
1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Trim the hard portions of the clams from the soft parts and reserve them separately, as well as their liquor. Let stand so the sand will settle.
In a 2½-quart stainless steel or enameled soup pot or saucepan over medium-low heat, slowly sauté the carrots, onions, and celery in the butter until vegetables begin to soften and become bright, about 5 minutes; do not brown them.
Remove the tomatoes from their liquid and add them to the pot. Measure the tomato liquid and add to it enough boiling water to make 4 cups. Add the tomato water to the pot, along with the hard portions of the clams and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until clam pieces begin to soften.
Add the potato, the soft clam meat, the clam liquor, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Simmer until all the ingredients are tender, about 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add pepper to taste, and more salt and/or thyme, as needed. Simmer briefly, then serve, or bring to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate. The chowder will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days. To reheat the chowder, bring to room temperature for 30 minutes, then simmer over low heat until thoroughly hot. Do not allow to boil.
Excerpted from “1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover’s Life List,” Copyright 2014 by Mimi Sheraton. Used by permission of Workman Publishing Co., Inc. New York All Rights Reserved.
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