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MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

I live in the Pacific Northwest and Manilla clams are very common. They are the sweetest, small hard-shell clams, and are favorites of professional chefs. I was lucky to find Komo Gway Clams produced by the K'ómoks First Nation. This recipe makes enough chowder for 4 cups or 2 large bowls.

5 dozen Manilla, Littleneck, or Butter Clams

4 strips bacon or pancetta, diced                                      

2 T extra-light olive oil or avocado oil

1 large yellow onion, diced                                        

3 stalks celery, cut into strips and finely diced                                        

2 medium carrots, cut into strips and minced

3 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                   

1 t freeze-dried or chopped fresh oregano 

1 t freeze-dried or chopped fresh basil

½ t red pepper flakes                                      

1 t dried or fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

1 8-oz bottle clam juice

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 28-oz can whole peeled Italian tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup water

1 cup dry white wine

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

Scrub clams with a brush under cold running water.

Place them in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a soup pot or Dutch oven, fry bacon until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish.

Pour out most of the bacon fat and discard.

Add the oil and sauté the onion, celery, and carrot for 10 minutes. 

Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

Stir in oregano, basil, pepper flakes, thyme, and bay leaves.

Add the clam juice and potatoes.

Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and hand-crush them, removing any hard center cores.

Alternatively, use an immersion blender to chop the tomatoes.  

Pour tomatoes into the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

While soup is simmering, pour the water and wine in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Drain the clams and add to the saucepan.

Partially cover and let clams simmer for 5 minutes or until they open.

Remove clams with a slotted spoon to a bowl and pour liquid from saucepan through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the soup.

Discard any unopened clams

Remove clams from their shells and coarsely chop.

Add the clams to the soup pot and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes, until hot.

Add parsley and ladle into warm soup bowls. 

Garnish with bacon and serve.

Serves 2 to 4

VINCENZIO GRECO & TERESA LAPETINA (Big Mamma)

50th wedding anniversary in Portsmouth, Virginia, 1947. They were married in Italy in 1897.

ERNESTO NOVIELLO AND ELISABETTA GRECO

Wedding Day - 26 October 1919, Portsmouth, Virginia

CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SORBETTO

We had a lovely dinner at a nearby inn for our 48th wedding anniversary. For dessert, we had a mix of different sorbets. One was a divine chocolate sorbet. I decided to experiment and make an Italian chocolate-espresso sorbetto. This will definitely satisfy your chocolate craving.

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

2 t espresso powder

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 t pure vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso.

Bring to a boil while whisking for one minute.

Turn off heat and stir in the chocolate chips until melted.

Let cool for 20 minutes and then pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof

glass pitcher.

Cover and chill thoroughly.

When cool, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Spoon into a covered container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

SICILIAN ESPRESSO GELATO

Sicilian gelato typically does not use eggs or cream and therefore contains less butterfat than ice cream. It is stabilized by adding cornstarch in place of the eggs. For a creamy texture, use whole milk.

4 cups whole milk

2 T cornstarch

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 T coffee liqueur (Kahlua or Tia Maria)

¼ cup instant espresso powder, or more to taste

In a small bowl, make a slurry by mixing ¼ cup of the milk with the cornstarch. Whisk until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer, then remove from the heat.

Add the sugar and the cornstarch mixture and stir. Return to a simmer for about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the coffee liqueur and espresso powder. Stir to combine.

Let cool and then pour into a covered container and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer to a covered container and place in your freezer, until firm.

Serves 4

MARIE & THERESA NOVIELLO

Portsmouth, Virginia c1928