Minorcan Clam Chowder

Minorcan Clam Chowder

A clear, tomato-based clam chowder from St. Augustine, Florida, descended from the cooking of Mahón-Menorca settlers. It is more Mediterranean fish stew than New England chowder, with a sofrito base, chopped clams, potatoes, and the signature fruity heat of datil peppers.

Prep

20 min

Cook

45 min

Total

65 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •45 ml (3 Tbsp) olive oil
• •1 large yellow onion, diced (about 200 g / 7 oz)
• •1 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 150 g / 5¼ oz)
• •2 ribs celery, sliced (about 100 g / 3½ oz)
• •4 cloves garlic, minced
• •2 datil peppers datil peppers, minced (seeds and all), Substitute: 1 small banana pepper minced + ¼ tsp Tabasco or other vinegar-based hot sauce. Note: this is a deliberate departure from the traditional seasoning, not an equivalent.
• •30 g (¼ cup) tomato paste
• •400 g (14 oz) crushed or diced San Marzano-style tomatoes, canned, with their juice
• •450 g (1 lb) russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5 cm (½ in) cubes
• •500 ml (2 cups) clam juice or fish stock, use clam juice for the most traditional flavor
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •900 g (2 lb) chopped Atlantic quahog clams with their juice, freshly shucked or canned, drained with juice reserved. If using frozen, thaw fully before measuring.
• •60 ml (¼ cup) dry sherry (Manzanilla or fino), added at the end, not cooked down hard
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, adjust after tasting, clam juice and clams are salty
• •1 g (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •1 pinch sugar, balances the acidity of the tomato
• •10 g (¼ cup) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the diced onion, green bell pepper, and sliced celery with a small pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened and translucent but not browned.
2. 2 Add the minced garlic and minced datil peppers (or the banana pepper plus hot sauce mixture). Cook, stirring constantly, for 60 to 90 seconds, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
3. 3 Stir in the tomato paste and cook, pressing it into the vegetables, for 2 minutes, until it darkens slightly and smells roasted.
4. 4 Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juice, the reserved clam juice from the clams, the additional clam juice or fish stock, and add the bay leaves. Stir to combine, scraping any fond from the bottom of the pot.
5. 5 Add the diced potatoes, the salt, pepper, and the pinch of sugar. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife.
6. 6 Add the chopped clams with their juice and simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the clams are heated through. Do not boil hard, as the clams will turn rubbery. Safety: clams must reach an internal temperature of at least 63 °C / 145 °F; they are safely cooked when they are opaque and curl slightly.
7. 7 Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaves. Stir in the dry sherry and taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
8. 8 Ladle into warm bowls, garnish generously with chopped parsley, and serve immediately. Traditionally accompanied by oyster crackers, saltine crackers, or crusty bread, and often a bottle of hot sauce on the table.