This is one of HG’s favorite dishes. Al dente slim strands of pasta with a sauce of clam broth, garlic, white wine, onions, olive oil, parsley. Topped with an abundance of steamed little neck clams (quahogs as they are dubbed on Prince Edward Island) which add their juices to the simmering sofrito. A dusting of dried chile peppers, of course. HG has had linguine con vongole in many Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island restaurants. Fancy places. Plain spoken joints. Eateries favored by “goodfellas.” Supped on the dish during visits to Italy. Sicily, Naples, Palermo, Rome. Venice, Florence, the Friuli region and points in between. Yes, HG will say it. Forthrightly, and not fearing abuse or contradiction. BSK makes the best linguine con vongole in the universe. BSK honed her skills during many family summers at HG/BSK’s dune house on Fire Island, the famed barrier beach between Great South Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. After a day of sun, kadima and frisbee, HG and pals would venture into the Bay (this was before pollution) and using their feet and hands would score dozens of incomparable clams. HG was in charge of clam opening. A dozen or so were eaten raw. Three dozen were prepared by HG. These were given a dash of bread crumbs, a piece of bacon, a few slices of garlic, olive oil. Popped in the oven for a brief broiling and then served on the rear deck of HG/BSK’s home with chilled white wine and icy martinis (guess which beverage HG preferred). Much joy as a dramatic sunset illuminated the skies. Then came the climax. BSK’s linguine con vongole. Yes, the fresh clams were delicious (only matched by those in Rhode Island). But, it was BSK’s artistry that made the dish enter the Fire Island Culinary Hall of Fame. BSK made the dish last night with three dozen clams from PEI waters. Did a creative variation. Added chopped fennel to the sofrito and used chives instead of flat leaf parsley. Oddly, Italian parsley doesn’t seem available in PEI supermarket or farm stands. BSK sneers at curly parsley. Parsley in BSK’s herb garden hasn’t bloomed yet. However,the dish was superlative. HG was drenched in bivalve delight. BSK rules.
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