Manhattan clam chowder is made with tomatoes, and is always seasoned with thyme and other herbs. New England clam chowder is made with milk and seasoned only with salt and pepper, If the large hard-shell clams are used, they should be chopped. The soft-shell clams may be left whole, but the neck and muscle should be discarded. Use clam broth instead of water whenever you can; it makes a richer chowder.
Clam Broth
Scrub well 18 large hard clams and open them, Reserve the juice and chop the meat. Put clams, juice, and an equal volume of water in a saucepan with 2 stalks of celery. Cook the broth for 20 minutes, strain it through several thicknesses of cheesecloth, and add salt to taste.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Sauté until golden, in 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion and 2 leeks, chopped. Add 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into dice, 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, 1 stalk of celery and 1 green pepper, free of pith and seeds, both chopped, 2 teaspoons each of thyme and marjoram, a small hay leaf, and, if desired, 1 teaspoon curry powder. Add 2 quarts clam broth or water, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the broth for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked. Meanwhile open 1 dozen large bird clams and reserve the juice. Chop the meat and add clams and juice to the simmering broth. Cook the broth for 5 minutes longer and serve the chowder with soda crackers.
New England Clam Chowder
Scrub 2 quarts soft clams, open them, and remove the clams. Cut off the soft bellies and reserve them. Cook the necks and muscles for 15 minutes in the clam liquor plus enough water to make 2 1 2 cups liquid in all. Strain the broth.
Brown lightly in a kettle 1/4 pound fat salt pork, diced. Add 1 onion, sliced, and cook it until it is soft but not brown. Skim off the pork and the onion and in the fat saute lightly 2 cups diced potatoes. Add the strained clam broth and simmer it until the potatoes are soft. Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a little milk to make a paste and add it to the kettle with the rest of 1 quart milk. Bring the soup to a boil and cook it for 3 minutes. Add the soft bellies of the clams and cook the chowder for 1 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons butter and serve the chowder with pilot crackers.
Fish Chowder
Brown lightly 1/4 pound fat salt pork, cut in small dice, in a kettle and add 2 medium onions, 2 leeks, and 2 stalks of celery, all chopped. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are golden. Add 2 quarts clam broth or water and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer the broth for 15 minutes and add 1 1/2 pound white-fleshed fish, such as sole, cod, or sea bass, skinned, boned, and cut into small cubes. Add 2 cups milk and simmer the broth for 20 minutes longer, until the fish is cooked. Add 1 cup cream, salt and pepper to taste, and if desired, 1/4 cup Sherry.
Corn Chowder
Brown lightly 1/4 pound fat salt pork, cut in small dice, in a kettle with 1 tablespoon butter. Add 2 onions, 2 leeks, and 2 stalks of celery, all chopped, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are golden. Add 1 quart chicken broth and 1 cup diced potatoes, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer it until the potatoes are soft. Add 1 quart milk, bring the chowder again to the boiling point, and add 2 cups corn scraped from the cob. Simmer the chowder for 5 minutes and correct the seasoning. Finish the chowder with 2/3 cup cream and 2 teaspoons butter, and serve it sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.
The bisque is a far more elegant concoction than the chowder, and cannot be so easily or so quickly made. Its texture must be fine and smooth as satin, but it must have a full, robust flavor. The soup must be thick enough so that its rich texture can be appreciated, but not so thick that it is more sauce than soup. To ensure smoothness, the bisque must be strained, sometimes twice or even more. And when the richest flavor of the shellfish used is in the shell, as is the CMC with lobster and crayfish, the shells must be ground and crushed so that the last bit of flavor may be extracted. In all, the making of a perfect bisque requires patience and sensitivity. I think you will agree that the results are worth the effort.
Fish Velouté Base for Bisques of Shellfish
Put the bones and trimmings of 6 whitings or other white-fleshed fish in a pan with 2 quarts water, 1 cup white wine, 1 carrot and 1 onion, sliced, half a bay leaf, a little thyme, 2 sprigs of parsley, and 8 peppercorns. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer it for 30 minutes, skimming as necessary. In another pan melt 1/4 cup butter and stir in 3/4 cup flour. Rice flour is traditionally used. Cook this roux, stirring, until it begins to turn golden. Strain the fish stock into the roux, stirring constantly, and cook, stirring, until the velouté is thick and smooth. Cook it for 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally and skimming as necessary. Strain the velouté through a fine sieve.
Clam Bisque
Scrub and open 3 dozen hard clams and. reserve the juice. Chop the clams. Brown 2 tablespoons butter lightly in a saucepan and in it saute the chopped clams for 2 minutes. Add the clam juice, 1/2 cup white wine, and 2 quarts fish veloutè base. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, and strain the bisque through a fine sieve. Reheat the bisque to the boiling point without allowing it to boil, and swirl in 4 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and a little cayenne pepper.
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