When fall rolls around children think of "Trick or Treat" and
Mothers thinks of warm jackets and something for dinner that will warm the
stomach. I have just the recipe for that - I call it Captain Sam's Clam
Chowder - after my father who got the recipe from an old sea captain. My
father worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the l940s. He was
based in Staten Island and it was his job to patrol New York waterways and
keep them clear of debris so there wasn"t any accidents to the many ships
that used them. In this capacity he once met a very old sea captain that
used to prepare this chowder in the galley of his ship to feed the many
sailors stationed on it. This is a very different clam chowder because of
its 'secret ingredient". He would never tell my father what it was, but
one time my father saw him add Muscatel wine when the chowder was cooked.
There has always been a dispute as to whether clam chowder should be made
with tomatoes or milk. Manhattan clam chowder is always made with tomatoes
and New England chowder is made with milk. It really is up to your own
taste. Actually, milk was used before tomatoes, but the very first clam
chowder was made with neither. Breton sailors shipwrecked on the Maine
coast invented the dish by adding crackers, salt pork, potatoes, and other
ship's stores they could salvage to clams found on the beach and cooking
it all in an iron pot called a chaudiere. Anyway, whether your favorite is
a milk or tomato base, you'll call for more of this old recipe.
Captain Sam's Clam Chowder
2 - dozen chowder clams
- pound salt pork (cubed)
3 bottles pure clam juice
1 bunch of celery (chopped)
3 onions (quartered)
1 large leek
2 packages of carrots (sliced)
6 large potatoes (large cubes)
1 large can tomato puree
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup Muscatel wine
Soak and rinse clams in cold water. Place in a large heavy pot with 2 cups
of water that you have added salt, pepper, and some garlic powder (a shake
or two) to. Bring to a boil (covered) and steam just until clams open. Set
aside till cool enough to remove the clam from its shell. Strain clam
broth through a cloth and set aside; put clams in a separate dish and also
set aside.
Chop salt pork into small cubes and put into a large pot and lightly
brown. Do not discard the fat that is rendered from it; it will be part of
your soup. When this is done add the clam broth you have set aside and
also add the three bottles of clam juice you have bought. Also add just 1
cup of water. Bring to a boil and add your chopped celery, onions and
leek. (Now when I say chop I mean coarsely. I like to have vegetables that
you can chew and know what they are. You may prefer to chop into very
small pieces. That is fine; it makes no difference in the recipe.) Bring
to a boil and simmer ten minutes. Shake in salt, pepper, thyme leaves and
cayenne pepper. Now add your carrots; again bring to a boil and then
simmer for another ten minutes. Add your potatoes and again bring to a
boil and then simmer until all vegetables are fork tender.
When the vegetables are done, add the clams (chopped) and the tomato
puree. Bring to a boil, stir well, turn off the gas and add the Muscatel
wine. Let sit for about three hours then reheat and serve with oyster
crackers. This a very rich clam tasting soup. If you like it a little less
strong you can add more water when cooking. But it is better this way.
Enjoy!