Manhattan Seafood Chowder
Manhattan's tomato-based seafood chowder: clams, fish and prawns simmered in a tomato broth with celery, onion and herbs.
Overview
New York's tomato-based answer to New England's milk-and-cream chowder, and the source of a regional argument that has been going on for a hundred years. You start by softening bacon with onion, celery and garlic in butter, then add potatoes, thyme and fish stock and let them simmer until the potatoes are tender. The clams go in next under a lid for a few minutes until they open; you pull most of them out of their shells (keeping a few intact for the look of it) and strain the liquor back into the pot. Then tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, cod and prawns, and a final low simmer of just three minutes so the seafood stays tender. A generous scatter of flat-leaf parsley at the end lifts the lot. Serve with crusty bread to mop the brothy red sauce, and ignore anyone from Boston who tells you it's not a chowder.
Ingredients
Fat
- 60 grams butter
Protein
- 3 bacon slices (chopped)
- 1 kg baby clams
- 375 grams skinless cod fillets (cut into cubes)
- 12 prawns (large, peeled and de-veined, tails intact)
Vegetables
- 2 onions (chopped)
- 2 celery stalks (sliced)
- 3 potatoes (diced)
- 400 grams tinned tomatoes (chopped)
Aromatics
- 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 3 teaspoons thyme (chopped)
Seasonings
- 1 ¼ litres fish stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley (chopped)
Method
Stage 1 - Prepare clams and base
- Wash the clams thoroughly, discarding any that have broken shells or fail to close when you tap them.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat.
- Add the bacon, onion, garlic and celery and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the potato, thyme and 1 litre of the stock to the saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Stage 2 - Cook chowder
- Pour in the remaining stock and bring to the boil.
- Add the clams, cover and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, or until they open.
- Discard any clams that do not open.
- Drain the clam liquor through a wet muslin-lined sieve into a clean bowl, and pour back into the soup.
- Pull most of the clams out of their shells, leaving a few intact to garnish, and set aside.
- Stir the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes into the soup and bring back to the boil.
Stage 3 - Add seafood and finish
- Add the fish, clams and prawns and simmer over a low heat for 3 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked.
- Season and stir in the parsley.
- Serve with the clams in their shells scattered over the soup.
Notes
- Clams: Use fresh clams; discard any that don't open during cooking.
- Seafood: Don't overcook; add at the end for tenderness.
- Tomatoes: Tinned tomatoes add richness; fresh can be used in season.
Serving
Serve hot with crusty bread.
Storage
- Best served immediately; refrigerate up to 1 day. Reheat gently without boiling.
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