4 large firm ripe tomatoes, or ¼ c finely chopped celery
substitute 4 c chopped 3 c water
drained canned tomatoes 1 medium-sized bay leaf
2 dozen large hard-shelled clams, ½ tsp crumbled dried thyme
shucked and drained, and their Freshly ground black pepper
liquor 3 medium-sized boiling potatoes,
3 T butter peeled and cut into ¼-inch
1 c finely chopped onions dice (about 2 cups)
¼ c finely chopped carrots
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If you are using fresh tomatoes, drop them into boiling water for 15
seconds, then peel off the skins with a small, sharp knife. Cut out the
stems and cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Squeeze the halves to remove
the juice and seeds, then coarsely chop the pulp. Canned tomatoes need
only to be drained thoroughly and chopped.Chop the clams fine and reserve them. Strain the clam liquor through a fine sieve lined with a double thickness of dampened cheesecloth; measure and save 3 cups of the liquor. (If there is less than 3 cups of liquor, add enough water to make that amount.)
In a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the onions, carrots and celery and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, clam liquor, 3 cups of water, bay leaf, thyme and a few grindings of pepper, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan partially and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in the potatoes and continue to simmer partially covered for about 12 minutes longer. Then add the chopped clams and cook the chowder for 2 to 3 minutes more. Pick out and discard the bay leaf.
Taste the chowder for seasoning and serve at once from a heated tureen or in individual soup plates. Serves 6.
