Description
Manhattan clam chowder from Ina Garten delivers robust coastal flavors with hearty vegetable depth. Professional kitchen techniques ensure rich, satisfying soup that connects home cooks to classic maritime traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 cups (1.2 L) clam juice (five 8-oz/240 ml bottles)
- 1–½ cups (360 ml) minced clams, drained (about four 6–½ oz/195 ml cans)
- 1 large waxy-style potato (about ¾ lb/340 g), diced
- 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
- 1 28-oz (794 g) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
- 1–½ celery stalks, chopped
- 7 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste
- 1–½ tbsps (22 ml) olive oil
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp kosher salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 2 tbsps chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté Base: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, combine onions, celery, garlic, and red bell peppers, cooking until vegetables soften and become translucent, releasing their aromatic essence.
- Deepen Flavor: Introduce tomato paste, stirring vigorously to create a rich, caramelized foundation that will anchor the chowder’s depth and complexity.
- Herb Infusion: Craft a bouquet garni with parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, securing with kitchen twine, then nestle alongside cubed potatoes to impart subtle herbal notes throughout the broth.
- Liquid Integration: Stream in clam juice, bringing the mixture to a vigorous boil before reducing to a gentle simmer, allowing potatoes to tenderize and absorb the oceanic flavors.
- Final Composition: Gently incorporate diced tomatoes and fresh clams, maintaining a delicate heat to preserve the seafood’s tender texture, and season with a generous dusting of cracked black pepper.
- Presentation: Ladle the steaming chowder into warm bowls, crown with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley, and serve immediately to capture the vibrant, maritime essence of Manhattan-style clam chowder.
Notes
- Boost Flavor Potential: Toast tomato paste briefly to unlock deeper, caramelized notes that elevate the entire chowder’s complexity.
- Herb Bundle Technique: Create a bouquet garni to infuse subtle herbal undertones without leaving herb fragments throughout the chowder.
- Clam Texture Preservation: Introduce fresh clams at the end of cooking to prevent rubbery, overcooked seafood and maintain delicate, tender meat.
- Temperature Control Matters: Simmer gently after adding clams to ensure gentle cooking that protects the seafood’s natural sweet flavor and prevents toughening.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg