Manhattan Clam Chowder

Manhattan Clam Chowder

6 slices of bacon, chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large or 2 small red onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
3/4 Cup of Marsala wine
2 Cans Chopped Tomatoes
2 large potatoes or 3 small potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 teaspoon of Oregano
1/2 Cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
3 Cans of Clams
Up to 1 Cup of water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Open the cans of clams, strain the juice into a bowl through a fine sieve and coffee filter to remove the sand. Rinse the clams and set aside.

In a large saucepan, crisp the bacon and remove when done. Add the celery, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the veggies are browned a bit. Add the Marsala wine and deglaze the pan, scraping all those great brown bits off the bottom. Add the clam juice, tomatoes and potatoes, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.

When ready to serve, add the parsley, water, and clams and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

If it is too thick for your taste, add a bit more water, or vegetable stock.

One last dash of wine is also tasty.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the chopped bacon from earlier.

This is my adaptation of a recipe from Martha Stewart's website, www.marthastewart.com