Manhattan Clam Chowder

[Jack D.]

Ombligo wrote:
New England Clam Chowder is not that hard to make, and so much better..

Basic recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
4 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped white onion
1 1/2 cups water
4 cups peeled and small cubed potatoes
1 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
3 cups half-and-half (or use 1.5 cups milk & 1.5 cups cream)
3 tablespoons butter (not margarine)
1 lb minced clams (2 10-oz cans if fresh isn't available)
1 bottle clam juice (if using fresh clams, otherwise use juice from the cans)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
2. Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.

Gives you about six servings.



Now if you bouillabaisse a tomato based, go with a bouillabaisse not Manhattan. It is a more difficult dish with many more ingredients. All in all a good excuse to go to a good restaurant.

Other than slight adjustments to certain proportions this is my exact recipe. Kap, the only thing you can do to improve on this is dig the clams yourself. Now if you don't like it white you can always slop some ketchup in there to make it Manhattan style but don't do it in these parts. People will know you're a tourist for sure.

So remember, no tomatoes, no tofu, no sprouts, no goat cheese, no avocado, no low fat/sodium/cholesterol anything! Use REAL butter, REAL bacon and REAL cream ....and please don't put ketchup in it.