Spiced Manhattan Clam Chowder

By KimChi381

This Thai-influenced clam chowder with its clean, slightly spicy taste is much more exciting than the original Manhattan chowders that are laden with tomtatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15mL) vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (125mL) diced bacon
• 1 cup (250mL) diced onions
• 1.5 cups (375mL) diced red potatoes
• 1 cup (250mL) diced fennel
• 1 tsp (5mL) thai red curry sauce
• 2 cups (500mL) water
• 1/2 cup (125mL) white wine
• 1 tsp (5mL) freshy thyme, or 1/4 tsp (1mL) dried
• 2 cups (500mL) canned tomatoes
• 18 litterneck or cherrystone clams
• 2 tbsp (25mL) chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp (25mL) lime juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and saute until beginning to crisp, about 2 mins. Add onions, potatoes and fennel and saute for 2 mins or until beginning to soften. Add red curry sauce and saute another 1 min. Pour in water, wine and thyme and bring to boil. Add tomtatoes, cover, turn heat to low and simmer together for 12 mins or until potatoes are just cooked through.

2. Raise heat to high and add clams. Boil until shells open, about 5 to 6 mins, removing clams as they open. Reduce heat again. Reserve 6 clams for garnish, and remove clam meat from remaining shells, saving any clam juice for soup. Return clam meat to soup, add parsley and lime juice and simmer together for 1 min. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish each serving with a reserved clam in its shell.