New England vs. Manhattan Clam Chowder

Game on! You shouldn't be surprised to learn we're not really big into football. Each year I try to get excited about watching the "big game" but then it always ends up the same. Every time I look at the roaring TV, the teams just seem to be standing around waiting. Then during halftime one of the Jacksons lip syncs while grabbing their bits. End of story.

So, after tossing $5 (I'll never see again) into the office pool this year, I figured out a better way to get into the game day spirit: pitting two recipes against one another. That's right! New England chowder goes clam to clam with Manhattan, pantry-style!

By pantry-style, I mean you don't have to get up early and hit the water on your Downeaster Alexa or even go to the fish market for that matter. It's relatively convenient and inexpensive. You *might* even already have most of the ingredients. See, here, we used canned clams and bottled juice for the actual chowders. Don't be fooled by the photo. We only added fresh clams in the end as a sort of topper, but that's completely optional and unnecessary.

For the cream-based New England Clam Chowder I referred to The Best Recipe, a collection from the Massachusetts-based Cooks Illustrated. They had a "master" version as well as pantry-style substitutes for those short on time. I also used my own alternatives where I could to try to tone down the decadence a bit. Of course, we took these substitutes and used them for both recipes to play fair. For the tomato-based Manhattan Clam Chowder, I used Tyler Florence's recipe from Eat This Book.I realize this could've given New England an advantage, because Tyler isn't a NYC-native, but rest assured he can definitely hold his own with this chowder thing.

First I started to make the New England clam chowder, fully expecting it would be my personal first place. I mean, c'mon... isn't it the favorite? It showed a solid offense with creamy and clammy full-bodied flavor.

But then as I started making the Manhattan style, I realized competition was fierce. The bright green of the celery kicked things off in another direction right away. Then the heat of the pork added another layer. I figured Louisiana Margaret would like the spicier Andouille sausaged Manhattan version better, but, to my surprise I couldn't stop tasting it myself. The spiciness was perfect and the Andouille just melts in your mouth. These chowders were pretty much head to head for both of us. We might just have to go into overtime or sudden death and make another batch to declare a winner!

So, if you're having a party later today, this is another fun thing to consider doing. Instead of just wings and beer or whatever, think about stacking a few bowls on the counter and having these two pots simmering and ready-to-eat on the stove. The base ingredients are pretty much the same, and you can do all the chopping for both chowders at the beginning, so it's not a lot of extra time and effort. Plus, it'll give those of us not into the game something else to cheer about.

New England Clam Chowder, Pantry-Style
Serves 6

4 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams, juice drained and reserved*
2 (8 oz) bottles clam juice along with 1 cup of water*
4 slices thick-cut (turkey) bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp flour
3 med. waxy red boiling potatoes (1 1/2 lbs), scrubbed & diced
1 large bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 cup of light (or heavy) cream
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves
salt & ground pepper

1. If you choose to use fresh clams instead, see note below. Fry bacon in a stock pot over medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes. Add onion to bacon and saute until softened. If you use turkey bacon you may need a a bit of extra moisture, so drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil as needed to coat.

2. Add flour; stir until lightly colored, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved clam broth, clam juice and water (about 4.5 to 5 cups of liquid total).

3. Add potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add clam meat, cream, parsley, salt (if necessary) and ground pepper to taste; bring to simmer. Remove from heat and serve.

*If you choose to use fresh clams, select 7 pounds medium sized hard-shell clams, such as cherrystones, washed and scrubbed clean. Any clams more than 3-inches in diameter will deliver an inky-flavored chowder, so try to go smaller than that. Bring clams and 3 cups of water to a boil in large covered soup pot. Steam until clams just start to open, about 3-5 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Transfer clams to large bowl; cool slightly. Open clams with a paring knife, holding clams over a bowl to catch any juices. With knife, sever muscle that attaches clam to shell and transfer meat to cutting board. Mince clams; set aside. Pour clam broth into 2-quart Pyrex measuring cup, holding back the last few tablespoons of broth in case of sediment; set clam broth aside (about 5 cups). Rinse and dry kettle; return to burner to fry bacon. Use the reserved clam broth and clam meat as noted in the recipe above. If you use reserved clam broth here, you probably won't need the additional cup of water mentioned in the recipe.

Adapted from The Best Recipe.

Manhattan Clam Chowder, Pantry-Style
Serves 6

4 (6.5 oz) cans of chopped clams, juice drained and reserved**
2 (8 oz) bottles clam juice along with 1 cup water
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or butter)
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 oz Andouille (or chorizo) sausage link, sliced into 1/2" rounds
1 Tbsp flour
8 medium peeled tomatoes (we used canned), pureed in a food processor
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 waxy red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
4-5 dry sundried tomatoes (optional)

1. In a large saucepot, heat olive oil over medium heat and toss in the onion, celery, garlic, and sausage; cook 4-5 minutes until the onion is wilted and translucent. Stir in the flour until it blends into a paste.

2. Slowly whisk in the clam broth until smooth. Add tomatoes and sugar and give a good stir. Toss in the pepper flakes, thyme, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the potatoes, bring to a boil, and boil hard for about 5-10 minutes or until the potatoes start to break down. Then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add clams* and simmer an additional 8 minutes or longer as flavors come together. Season again as needed and serve.

**If you choose to use fresh clams, select about 7 pounds medium sized hard-shell clams, such as cherrystones, washed and scrubbed clean. Toss them in where it says to add clams and simmer for about 8 minutes until clams open. Discard any clams that did not open.

Adapted from Eat This Bookby Tyler Florence.