Or Make It a Manhattan Sailor’s delight: Summertime in a spoon

The secrets to incredible clam chowder are tender seafood and silky broth; the rest is a matter of preference. Whether you keep it classic with cream and thyme, or swap in tomatoes and oregano, this sterling technique will net you summertime in a spoon.

Ingredients

4 pounds top neck, cherrystone or littleneck clams (about 3 dozen), cleaned

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 ounce pancetta, diced

1/2 onion, diced (1 cup)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1 dried bay leaf

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (optional)

1 russet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 cups)

3 tablespoons heavy cream Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Oyster crackers (preferably Vermont Country Store common crackers)

Directions

1. Steam the Clams

Working in batches if necessary, place clams in a medium saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, stir and continue to cook, removing clams as soon as they open (this way, none of them will overcook and turn too chewy). Once they’ve all been removed, strain liquid through a sieve lined with a dampened cheesecloth to get rid of residual grit. You should have 3 cups broth; if you have less, add water or bottled clam broth (try Bar Harbor Clam Juice; $4, wholefoodsmarket. com). Gently separate clams from shells; discard shells and coarsely chop clams (halve if small).

2. Sauté the Aromatics

Wash and dry saucepan; place over medium-high heat. Melt butter in pan, then add pancetta and cook, stirring, until browned on edges, about 2 minutes. Add onion, thyme and bay leaf. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer, stirring, until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes (this also cooks off the alcohol). Sprinkle mixture with flour and keep stirring, 30 seconds. Add potato and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until

potato is tender, about 10 minutes. 3. Finish With Cream

Stir in clams and cream. Gently heat through, about 30 seconds — but without boiling, which would cause the clams to become tough. Remove and discard bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with crackers.

In step 1, reduce the water to 1 cup (this should yield about 2 cups broth). In step 2, add 1 chopped celery stalk with the onion, replace the thyme with oregano, eliminate the flour and add a puréed 14-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes in juice with the clam broth.

A dip in the sea

Many chowder recipes call for cleaning clams in water with a few spoonfuls of cornmeal. But Martha Stewart Living’s food director, Sarah Carey, submerges them in a large bowl of cold water with 2 tablespoons of fine sea salt, such as La Baleine ($3, mercato.com). The small grains dissolve quickly and mimic the clams’ natural environment, which encourages them to filter out sand on their own. Refrigerate for 3 hours, rinse with cold water, and you’re ready to cook.