INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 strips bacon, finely minced
1 small white onion, peeled and small diced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (10-ounce) can baby clams, juice and clams separated
1 cup clam juice
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
3/4 cup peeled, small-diced Idaho potato
Dash Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. In a medium saucepot, heat oil over medium-high heat and add the bacon, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and thyme. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the flour to the pot and stir well to avoid any lumps.
3. Add the juice from the canned clams plus the additional 1 cup clam juice, the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook 20 minutes uncovered.
4. Add the potato and cook another 15 minutes uncovered or until the potato is tender.
5. Add the clams and a dash of Tabasco sauce. Heat the soup through, then season with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls.
WHAT MAKES A CHOWDER?
Classic chowder is not chowder unless it contains three essential ingredients: salt pork or bacon, potatoes, and milk or cream. This technically qualifies Manhattan clam chowder as a generic soup rather than a chowder. In Rhode Island they use both tomatoes and milk in the chowder to combine the best of both soups.