Manhattan Oyster Chowder

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 dozen oysters, shucked with liquor reserved
• 2 slices bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Dash red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 114.1 ounce can Pomi chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Procedure:

In a medium sized Dutch oven, cook bacon over
medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp.
Remove bacon from pot and reserve. Add onion,
celery, red bell pepper and carrots and sauté until the
onion and celery are tender, about 10 minutes. Add
garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze
pot with white wine. Add red pepper flakes, bay leaf,
thyme, Pomi tomatoes, chicken stock and potatoes.

Strain oysters with a fine mesh sieve to ensure there
are no shell fragments. Add oyster liquor to the soup
(about 1/2 cup), but don’t add oysters yet. Simmer
soup until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 45
minutes. Add oysters and parsley and simmer until the
oysters begin to curl, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add bacon
bits and serve immediately.