Is that the Red or White? Go for the Red: Manhattan Clam Chowder
November 20, 2005
Being ill of late after eating any cheese or milk, I have become especially attached to this Manhattan Clam Chowder soup. This is easy and cheap to make, but you can make it as extravagant as you'd like.
You will need: 1 can of whole baby clams (if fresh, buy cherrystone clams, about 7-10, and cook them in a stock pot with 1 c of water and 1/2 c of white wine, sprig of parsley, 1/2 lemon, and slice of white onion; cover and cook on medium high for 3-5 minutes until clams open; remove clams and chop up for soup); 1/2 lemon; 1 c of white wine (you can use 1/2 c of red wine instead if you want); 4 tbsp of olive oil; 1/4 white onion (finely diced); 3 cloves of minced garlic; 2 stalks of diced celery; 2 peeled and diced carrots; 1 large can of whole tomatoes (chop this up and reserve the juice); 1 tblsp of basil; 3 sprigs of parsley chopped; 1/2 bell pepper diced; 1 c of veggie stock; 3-4 diced small red or new potatoes skin and all; chile piquin.
Step One: Saute the olive oil, bell pepper, celery, carrots, onions, and garlic until veggies sweat (cooking on medium high heat).
Step Two: Add wine. Cook for 3 minutes.
Step Three: Pour in the vegetable stock, and add 1 c of water, and add tomatoes and tomato juice from can. Add the potatoes now and bring pot to a rolling boil, cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften (about 10 minutes). Add the crushed chile piquin (optional).
Step Four: Reduce the heat to medium and add the basil, parsley and clams with juice (if from the can or of fresh, use 1 c of clam brine). Squeeze lemon into pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may also add another tsp of basil if the flavor is weak.
Serve soup in bowls with a slice of lemon and fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and of course a side of bread.
Serve and enjoy.
