CHATHAM COD-MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

Chatham Cod-Manhattan Clam Chowder image

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

Chowder Garnish
6 fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
4 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/4 cup whole leaves for garnish
1/2 pound chopped shelled fresh clams (littlenecks or cherrystones)
4 (6-ounce) skinless cod fillets
Chowder Broth
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut crosswise into
1/4-inch-thick strips
1 small Spanish onion, diced
1 small stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups bottled clam juice
4 Atlantic razor clams, scrubbed
1 cup pureed canned plum tomatoes
6 black peppercorns
8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps:

To prepare the chowder garnish, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Scatter the potatoes on a baking sheet, toss with 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the chowder broth. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Raise the heat under the pan to high, add the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook them in the bacon fat until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes; then add the clam juice and bring to a boil. Add the razor clams, cover, and cook until the clams open, about 8 minutes. Transfer the clams to a plate and let cool. Turn the heat down to low under the pan.
Once the razor clams are cool enough to handle, shuck and coarsely chop them. For the garnish, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Add the razor clams, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Let the relish sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Turn the heat up to medium under the pan with the broth. Add the tomato puree, black peppercorns, and parsley sprigs to the broth and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped littleneck clams and cook for 2 minutes. Discard the parsley.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat until it just begins to shimmer. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and cook until lightly golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
Divide the cod among 4 large shallow bowls and ladle the chowder broth over the fish. Arrange the potatoes around the cod and garnish the top of the cod with the razor clam relish, crisp bacon, and whole parsley leaves.