Minorcan Clam Chowder Revisited

(This is revised from an earlier post. It’s in honor of my late friend Winni Wood, who bought me my Saint Augustine Seafood Cookbook that contained the original recipe. I miss you, friend.)

Soon it will be soup weather again. Here in the Hasty Tasty Meals kitchen I’m making a pot of Minorcan Clam Chowder. If you’re unfamiliar with Minorcan style cuisine, come to Saint Augustine, Florida, where many restaurants offer dishes featuring recipes from the 18th century settlers who originated from the Spanish island of Minorca.

I’ve adapted this recipe for the more modern, Hasty Tasty Meals kitchen. If you can find datil peppers, you should use those instead of the bell pepper. Datil peppers are authentic to Minorcan cuisine. I use canned clams, but if you have fresh clams, all the better!

RECIPE

Minorcan Clam chowder
Ingredients:
1 pint canned clams (do not drain)
1 Tbsp. oil
2 lbs. onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp. thyme
¼ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. pepper (I use Redneck Pepper® original)
¼ tsp. salt (optional–I omit because there is salt in the canned clams and juice)
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and minced

Directions:
In the pot of a 6-quart pressure cooker, add oil and sauté onions until soft. Add all other ingredients. Cover and secure lid, bring to pressure, and cook for four minutes. Remove cooker from the burner and allow it to sit 5 minutes. Release pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cool chowder, and store in the refrigerator. Making the chowder ahead of time allows the flavors to season. Warm over medium heat and serve.

Note: Also good with fish instead of clams. For richer chowder, double the amount of clams.

Note that this is lower in saturated fat than New England clam chowder, and spicier than Manhattan clam chowder. Also, if you scrub the potatoes and leave on the peels, you’ll add potassium and fiber. It’s about as figure-friendly a clam chowder as you can get. Enjoy!