Manhattan clam chowder

• 2.7 kg6 lb small quahogs or large cherrystone clams, scrubbed; discard any that stay open when tapped
• 500 ml2 cups water, for steaming the clams
• 115 g4 oz salt pork or thick-cut bacon, cut in 1 cm (1/3 in) dice
• 1 large onion (about 250 g / 9 oz), diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced; keep a few leaves for garnish
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced; optional
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• 800 gone 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, with their juice
• 700 g1.5 lb waxy or all-purpose potatoes, peeled, cut in 1.5 cm (1/2 in) dice
• bottled clam juice or water, only if needed to make up the broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, optional, an old New York touch
• black pepper and a few drops of hot sauce, to taste; salt only if needed
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• oyster crackers or pilot crackers, to serve

Method

1. 1

   1. Steam the clams in the boiling water in a covered pot over high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring once, until most have opened.

2. 2

   2. Lift out the clams, let the broth settle in a tall jug for 10 minutes, then pour it off through a fine sieve, leaving the sand behind; make it up to 1 litre (4 cups) with clam juice or water.

3. 3

   3. Shell the clams, chop the meat into 1 cm (1/2 in) pieces and keep it covered and cold.

4. 4

   4. In a heavy soup pot over medium-low heat, cook the salt pork until it has rendered its fat and is lightly golden.

5. 5

   5. Add the onion, carrots, celery and green pepper and cook gently, stirring, for about 8 minutes, until soft but not browned.

6. 6

   6. Stir in the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.

7. 7

   7. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the clam broth and the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer, partly covered.

8. 8

   8. Simmer about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced and the broth has turned a deep red.

9. 9

   9. Stir in the chopped clams and the Worcestershire sauce, if using, and keep the pot just below a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the clams are heated through; do not boil.

10. 10

    10. Season with pepper and a dash of hot sauce, taste for salt, remove the bay leaf and stir in the parsley.

11. 11

    11. Serve hot in bowls, with crackers to crumble in and a few celery leaves on top.