Chef John's Manhattan Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 cans whole baby clams , 10 ounce
• 2 cans chopped clams , 6.5 ounce
• 4 stripss thick-cut bacon , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• kosher salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium carrots , cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 ribss celery , sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 0.5 cups diced Italian tomatoes
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 pinches cayenne pepper
• 3 cups peeled , diced Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Drain baby and chopped clams. Reserve liquid in the refrigerator until needed and set clams aside.

2. 2

   Place bacon in a soup pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir until well-browned and almost crispy, 7 to 10 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt; cook and stir until onions start to soften and turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. 3

   Add tomato paste; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Don't worry if some of the tomato paste sticks to the bottom of the pot; we want that to happen. Sprinkle in flour; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Dump in reserved clam juice plus bottled clam juice and chicken broth. Stir with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze any caramelization.

5. 5

   Add carrots, celery, clams, diced tomatoes, pepper, and cayenne; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, skimming off some bacon fat if desired.

6. 6

   Add diced potatoes and cook until tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt, if needed. Stir in fresh tarragon and parsley just before serving.