Manhattan Island Clam Chowder

This is the proper tomato-based chowder that Manhattan put on the map, built to scandalize New Englanders who insist cream is the only way. The clams steam open in their own juice over a base of rendered pork fatback and sweet sauteed onion, which is where the chowder gets its meaty backbone.

Fresh tomatoes, not canned, is the move that separates a great Manhattan chowder from a mediocre one. Peel, seed, and chop 6 ripe tomatoes and the broth takes on a bright, clean flavor you cannot get from a tin. Save canned tomatoes for the dead of winter.

Cracker crumbs are the traditional thickener. Oyster crackers or common crackers (the New England style) crumbled into the broth swell gently and give the chowder body without the heaviness of a roux or flour slurry.

Add the clams back in only at the last 3 minutes. They already cooked when they opened, and any more heat toughens them into rubber bands.

Chef Tips

• Scrub clams under cold water and discard any that don’t close when tapped, they’re dead.
• Save and strain the steaming liquid from the clams and add some back to the pot for deeper brine flavor.
• Use littlenecks or cherrystones, bigger quahogs need chopping and longer cooking.
• Finish with a knob of cold butter whisked in off the heat for a silky finish.

Variations

• Use bacon instead of pork fatback for a smokier base.
• Add a diced green bell pepper for New Jersey-style chowder.
• Finish with a splash of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes for gentle heat.