Fast and Easy Recipe for Manhattan-Style Clam Chowder

Ingredients

1 pint shucked clams or two 6-1/2-ounce cans minced clams
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1/4 cup chopped carrot (1 small)
2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice or 1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cubed red potato
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons purchased cooked bacon pieces or cooked crumbled bacon*

Directions

1. Chop fresh clams, if using, reserving juice; set clams aside. Strain clam juice to remove bits of shell. (Or, drain canned clams, reserving juice.) If necessary, add enough water to reserved clam juice to equal 1-1/2 cups. Set juice aside.
2. In a large saucepan cook celery, onion, and carrot in hot oil until tender.
3. Stir in the reserved 1-1/2 cups clam juice and the 8 ounces clam juice. Stir in potatoes, thyme, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
4. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in undrained tomatoes, clams, and bacon.
5. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.

Serves 4.

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