Recipes

Manhattan Clam Chowder

Chowder  Crock-pot  Main Dish  Shellfish 

• 3-4 tblsp Olive oil
• 1/2 lb or so Jowl Bacon or Smoked Ham, diced
• 5-6 med Red potatoes, diced
• 1 sm Onion, chopped
• 2 Carrots, sliced
• 1 rib Celery w/leaves, sliced
• Salt & Black Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 Bay leaf, or 1/4tsp crushed
• 1/2 tsp ea: Sage, Thyme, White Pepper
• 2 tblsp Flour
• 28oz can Dei Fratelli or Glen Muir diced tomatoes
• 6.5oz (or 10oz, if you really like) Clams, canned or shucked and chopped
• 3-4 c Chicken stock or Clam juice, or a combo of both, as needed & as you prefer

Heat oil in lg Dutch oven and fry bacon & veggies, seasoned w/salt & pepper and spices, til beginning to brown and tender up, approx 8-10min.

Transfer veggies to CrockPot. Add flour and toss to coat and dissolve. Add tomatoes to Dutch oven and deglaze. Add clams and heat thru.

Pour tomatoes & clams into Crock and stir to mix. Add sufficient stock to cover and make soupy when blended; it will thicken ever so slightly as it stews.

Cook 4-8hrs, stirring oh-so-seldom (really not all that necessary unless you think it might be scorching around the surface edges), then serve HOT w/a nice crusty bread.

I am a bigger fan of the tomato-based version over the cream-based. Just my personal preference. I discovered this love as a child in the Midwest, where we had little exposure in the lean 70's to exotic seafoods like CLAMS. Our specialty here is Fried Things Made From Pork.