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Manhattan Clam Chowder, unlike it’s New England Clam Chowder cousin, offers a different perspective on a really great soup. What we really wanted out of this recipe was a rich, hearty tomato based broth oozing with clams. As with most soups, laying down a good stock is important and this one is no exception. In addition to a rich stock, we added some andouille sausage which really brings on the flavor.Â
This is just a nice pot of clam wonderfulness. The broth is rich and the andouille sausage gives it a kind of Manhattan meets New Orleans motif. A bowl of this and nice fresh warm bread or a toasted crouton on the side makes a wonderful dinner anytime. Like any tomato based recipe, make sure your cast iron pot is well seasoned. Keep an eye on the temperature as it needs to cook for a bit. Refrigeration of leftovers (Assuming there are any) enhances the flavors as it does for so many soups.
A quick note on clams.
We use Cherrystone clams for this recipe, but you can substitute others such as longneck. By weight, cherrystones run 4 to 6 to a pound, so in total you’ll need 4 to 5 pounds. You might want to err toward the 5 pounds as some of the may not open ( the sign of a dead clam). If they all open, so much the better. More clams for you.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ea Cherrystone Clams
- 2 strips bacon uncooked, diced
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 1 bottle clam juice 8 oz
- 1 can chopped clams 6.5 oz
- 1 tbsp old bay seasoning
- 1 large Carrot chopped
- 4 medium red potatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup purple onion diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- 4 oz Johnsonville Andouille Sausage sliced
- 1/2 cup prepared chicken stuffing
Instructions
- Place Cherrystone clams in a 5 Qt. Dutch Oven. Add enough water to cover clams by 2 inches.
- Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove opened clams, pull meat out and return shells to water for further boiling for about another half hour.
- Remove shells and discard, add Old Bay seasoning, let cool and transfer to large bowl. Let sit. Ladle off 4 cups of the broth and reserve.
- Add bacon to pot and cook over medium heat until it starts to brown.
- Add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and cook till just softened. (10 minutes)
- Add potatoes and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and clam broth, bottled clam juice, and andouille. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove cover, reduce heat and simmer.
- Add stuffing, chopped clams, and canned clams. Continue simmering until broth has thickened