Steamed clams meal wakes up memories

A large bowl of steamed clams, some parsley potatoes and a chilled glass of white wine bring back memories of sitting on a deck overlooking the sparkling water on the Connecticut shore. Clams are easy and quick to make, but are rarely served at home.

New England Steamed Clams

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup sliced onion

1 cup sliced carrot

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup dry white wine

Freshly ground pepper

2 pounds clams

Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Saute until they start to shrivel but are not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and pepper to taste. Add clams and cover tightly. Bring the liquid to a boil. Let boil about 3 minutes. The wine will boil up over the clams and they will open. As soon as they are open, remove from the heat. With a slotted spoon, lift the clams out of the pan and place in two large soup bowls. Discard any clams that do not open.

Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce rapidly by half. Serve the broth with all of the vegetables. Leave about 1/4 inch of the broth in the pan. This may have some sand from the clams in it.

Yield: 2 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 259 calories, 7.7 grams fat, (1 gram saturated, 27 percent fat calories),10.6 grams protein, 19.2 grams carbohydrate, 23 milligrams cholesterol, 4 grams dietary fiber, 120 milligrams sodium.

Parsley Potatoes

3/4 pound creamer or new potatoes, washed but not peeled

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add cold water to cover potatoes. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Simmer about 15 minutes, until cooked through. Drain, place in a bowl. Toss with oil, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 2 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 195 calories, 6.9 grams fat (.9 grams saturated, 32 percent fat calories), 3.6 grams protein, 30.8 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 2.2 grams dietary fiber, 9 milligrams sodium.