My husband has requested that I make a recipe he found in the newspaper today for Manhatten Clam Chowder. It is this one.
I will not eat this. Which is fine - he wants it and as his wife, I will make it for him because I love him. I find his food choices questionable, however, after ten years of marriage and being together for 17, I believe I can overlook this.
Once he eats one or two servings, he says we’ll freeze the rest. Which is fine too. Then he can have soup whenever he wants.
Is this going to freeze ok (the clams and vegetables) or will this be best eaten as quickly as possible and not being frozen? I have no experience with soup or clams because I don’t eat soup (normally) or clams and have never frozen it (soup or clams) before. I, in fact, have never made soup other than that which comes in a can and thus not requiring freezing.
Thanks in advance. And if anyone has a better recipe, feel free to add it too. I would like to make the man happy after all.
I get a blank page from your link. The vegetables and clams will lose quality and flavor from being frozen. Expect everything to end up mushy as a result. I don’t have time right now, I’ll try to post my recipe for Rhode Island Red later on.
The problem with freezing is the potatoes. There’s no way around it, potatoes simply don’t freeze well. but what the heck, give it a try if you have a lot leftover. It might be fine, it might be lacking, but you’ll find out.
TriPolar, sorry about the link - I didn’t realize the Sun Times wants people to “register free” to view it. Sigh. Figures. I can’t find the exact recipe on line anywhere else either. I THINK it’s against the rules for me to copy and paste the whole thing here so I won’t - if it ISN’T against the rules I will.
Chefguy, I have a nifty grocery store nearby that SELLS it - in cans - but he says he won’t pay the $4 some dollars they want - “That’s just ridiculous! Why does it cost so much??? We can MAKE it!!” Blah blah blah - so he saw the recipe and his grand idea was born. So basically, I’m going to be buying a bunch of ingredients I wouldn’t otherwise have to to make this soup and spend about a gazillion more dollars than four damn cans of soup would have cost. Yes - he’s frugal that way.
terentii, averse.
So now I have my next big question - where in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago does one find a 51 oz. can of clams? Or for that matter, canned clams of ANY size? And for that matter, who the hell cans a clam?? Are they chopped? Do I have to chop them myself? How big should they be chopped? These are questions for the ages, I know. Sigh.
Jebus Fecking…that’s a lot of clams. It’s going to cost way more than $16…unless you dropped a decimal point somewhere. But go to the canned tuna and look up two or three shelves, near the teeny tiny canned shrimp. I don’t think you’ll find one can that size, however…
Chowder should be a potato soup. With some clams for flavour. Rhode Island style is the best - unless you find someone who knows how to make a buttery New England style.
1 14 - 16 oz. can extra thick tomato sauce.
add 1 - 2 cans of tomato paste if you can’t get extra thick
Use the tomato sauce can to measure out an equal amount of clam juice
Also use the tomato sauce can to measure out an equal amount of clams
3 pounds of large potatoes peeled and chopped to 1 inch cubes
3 carrots chopped to 1/2 inch slices
3 stalks of celery chopped to 1/4 inch slices
1 large onion coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
2 tbsps parsley flakes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp dill
1 tsp black pepper
These measurements are for using dried herbs. Double for fresh.
This was reduced from a recipe for 15 gallons, so adjust for your tastes.
In a large pot put in the vegetables, herbs, clams, tomato sauce and clam juice.
Heat on medium high until it just starts to boil.
Reduce heat to very low simmer, stir, and continue to simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
For clams, get fresh chopped clams or fresh shucked clams and chop them. If they’re small enough toss them in whole. If you have to get clams in the shell steam them in a pot just until the shells open. Scoop out the meat with your fingers, discard ugly looking stuff, and chop to size. If you have to use canned, just get enough to fill that tomato sauce can. Canned clams are usually chopped fairly small so reduce the simmering time to 1 hour so they won’t fall apart. Feel free to add more clams.
For clam juice, get canned or bottled. If you use canned clams you can use the liquid from the canned clams but it won’t be as good. If you get fresh shucked or chopped clams use the liquid from them and ask for some extra. If you steam whole clams you can use the remaining liquid if it isn’t dirty.
I have frozen the New England style at work. The potatoes do break down, but we revive it with some new cooked potatoes and the flavor is still good. The texture is a little different though.
Thank you, TriPolar!! It’s kind of the same as the one he wants me to make, but the one he wants has bacon and green pepper (which he wants me to leave out - the green pepper - he still wants the bacon part) and other stuff - LOTS of stuff, and a pound of potatoes. And one carrot. And two celery stalks. And it’s silly - and going to be a lot of work and I won’t even know if it’s good. I will show him YOUR recipe and then he can decide if he wants the six million dollar version he got from the paper, or your version, which sounds GOOD.
WhyNot, no freakin’ kidding! And he thinks this is cost effective? I laugh, I tell you, I laugh! The dog is mocking him too. Soundly.
Seanette, I have a GFS right down the street - I never even THOUGHT about that! Good call! Thanks!!
Everyone who has chimed in, thank you so much - I appreciate it! This is going to be quite the experiment. I plan to make it Monday (that’s when I get paid) for a New Year’s Eve thing for him. We’ll see how it goes. Won’t be able to salt and pepper to taste as the recipe calls for ‘cause I ain’t eatin’ no clams, but I’ll make HIM do it.
