When it comes to chowder, I'll take Manhattan - JSOnline

http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=When+it+...

SAVE THIS | EMAIL THIS | Close

Home Features Food and Cooking Food and Cooking Bio

Sandy D'Amato | The Kitchen Technician When it comes to chowder, I'll take Manhattan
Posted: Oct. 7, 2007 New Yorkers are sometimes stereotyped as over-aggressive, rude and generally just in your face. A lot of this attitude is a fact of survival, of the need to have your wishes heard in one of the world's largest cities. This became apparent during my first trip to New York City in 1969. I was visiting for the weekend and was quite at a loss for direction. I had booked a hotel room at the Tudor Hotel in an area called Tudor City. It was located near the United Nations, which I figured would be a safe and secure neighborhood in this metropolis. I checked into the hotel and realized the $39 rate was not the great deal it seemed when booking. I walked into a tiny, dank, half-cleaned, windowless box with a fuzzy T.V. As there was no room service and I was starving, I decided to go to a diner I had passed on the way to the hotel. I walked through the door and was confronted with the noon full-tilt New York lunch service. I was frozen like a statue and the waitress behind the counter had my number in a second: "If you want a stool, you'd better grab one 'cuz it's not going to grab you." I sat down and realized my first priority was to find a bathroom. I shyly did a 180-turn looking around when the waitress announced, "If you're looking for the can, it's down the hall to the left." I was mortified and strangely grateful at the same time as I loped back to the bathroom. Now I'm ready to eat and studying the menu and the waitress just doesn't have time for my Midwestwide-eyed hemming and hawing gee-whiz indecisiveness, which can be a bit more endearing if you don't have a full counter of hungry, hurried New Yorkers. "Try the clam chowder, it's Manhattan. Not like that creamy Boston crap." It turned out to be a perfectly delicious briny tomato and pepper clam soup paired with a butter-grilled corn

1 of 4

12/3/2008 2:19 PM

When it comes to chowder, I'll take Manhattan - JSOnline

http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=When+it+...

muffin - a perfect lunch. I was feeling well-fed and bit more comfortable in this town. It was hard to catch the waitress's attention, but I was energized and in my deepest most assertive voice I called out "Check please!" Without turning around she said "Look under the bowl and pay at the front counter. Thanks, Babe!" Well, the assertive attempt was there, but I would have been better off if I had just kept my eyes open and clammed up. Sanford S " andy"D'Amato, chef/co-owner of Sanford Restaurant, 1547 N. Jackson St., Coquette Cafe, 316 N. Milwaukee St., and Harlequin Bakery, is a James Beard Award winner. For more information, visit www.sanfordrestaurant.com.

RECIPES Manhattan Clam Chowder

Makes 8 servings Broth (see recipe) 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice 1 tablespoon salt 1 pound onions, peeled and cut into small dice pound poblano peppers, stem and seeds removed, cut into small dice 2 ribs (4 ounces) celery, cut into small dice cup tomato paste 1 can (14.5 ounces) small diced plum tomatoes in juice 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 24 Manila clams (see note) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves (reserved from making broth) Prepare broth and strain. Set aside. Cover potatoes with water, add salt and cook until tender. Drain but reserve cup potato water. Set aside. Put all but 1 cup of the strained broth in a large saucepot. The 1 cup will be used later to steam the Manila clams. To the broth in the large pot, add the onions, peppers, celery, tomato pasteand the reserved cup potato water and bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and thyme and simmer 10 minutes.

2 of 4

12/3/2008 2:19 PM

When it comes to chowder, I'll take Manhattan - JSOnline

http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=When+it+...

Add reserved potatoes and the trimmed cherrystone clams and bacon - reserved from the broth recipe. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. In separate pan, heat the reserved 1 cup clam broth. Add Manila clams and steam open. Discard any that do not open. When done, add clam broth to soup, then place three clams in each of 8 serving bowls. Add parsley leaves to chowder, divide among bowls and serve. Note: Call ahead; this may have to be special ordered.

Clam broth
4 ounces bacon, cut into julienne slices 3 shallots (about 3 ounces), peeled and sliced thin 3 cloves garlic (about ounce), peeled and sliced thin 4 sprigs fresh thyme 3 bay leaves 1 bunch Italian parsley stems (reserve leaves) 20 crushed black peppercorns 1 cup dry white wine 10 pounds cherrystone clams, (about 2 dozen), rinsed and scrubbed to remove sand (do not use soap) 2 cups chicken stock Place a stockpot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add bacon and render by half until just starting to brown. Remove bacon from pan and set aside to use when making the chowder. Leave fat in pan. Add shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems and peppercorns and saut 3 minutes. Add white wine, bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Add cherrystone clams and the chicken stock and cover tightly. Steam until all clams are open. Discard any that do not open. Drain into large strainer, set into a bowl. Strain stock through cheesecloth and reserve. When clams are cool, remove from shell, trim, quarter and reserve. They will be added to chowder. Archives When in Rome, do as the taste buds would Cranberry tart brings meal to a sweet close Hazelnuts roasting set the heart afire Hearts melt when cheese meets bread Squash dumplings fit the season and senses Bikers in Italy take to wheels of cheese 2,000 filets gave me the willies Follow taste buds, not chef Fishing for fond memories Shrimp dish good enough for jumbo billboard

3 of 4

12/3/2008 2:19 PM

When it comes to chowder, I'll take Manhattan - JSOnline

http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=When+it+...

Right ranch can make salad, day perfect Dramatic service won't upstage veal piccata Yes, folks in Milwaukee want to eat good food Ring dinner bell for Asian chops Grill tuna for a quick dinner Guess who wins in showdown between chef and popular dish? Getting to the root of a good lunch in N.Y. Scratching that 11-year itch Cool gazpacho stretches out summer Young chef changes rooms and his perspective

Find this article at:

http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/29273004.html SAVE THIS | EMAIL THIS | Close Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.

4 of 4

12/3/2008 2:19 PM