MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

MANHATTAN
CLAM CHOWDER

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large onions finely chopped (2 cups)

2 celery ribs, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces (1 cup)

3⁄4 pound boiling potatoes

1(28- to 32-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, chopped and juice reserved

2 garlic cloves, minced (or to taste)

48 small hard-shelled clams (less than 2 inches wide), shucked and coarsely chopped, liquor reserved

3 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice combined with 3 cups water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled

1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1 bay leaf

Freshly ground black pepper

2⁄3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Salt

In a 4- to 6-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes.

Add potatoes, tomatoes and garlic to onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Strain reserved clam liquor through a fine-mesh sieve and add to pot, along with reserved tomato juice and clam juice mixture.

Add basil, thyme, bay leaf and pepper to taste and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, occasionally skimming off froth, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in clams and parsley and cook over medium heat just until clams are firm, 1 to 2 minutes.

Discard bay leaf and season to taste with salt

Servings: 6