Ingredients

2 dozen cherrystone clams, well scrubbed
2 cups chicken broth
8 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 can chopped clams with their juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

1. Place the clams in a large soup pot along with the 2 cups of chicken broth. Cover, and cook over medium heat until the clams open. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard any that don't open.
2. Remove the clams from their shells, and coarsely chop the clams. Strain; reserve the broth.
3. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over low heat until fat is rendered and the bacon is wilted and slightly browned on the edges, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the butter and onions, and cook, stirring until the onions are wilted, 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the flour and cook, stirring, another 5 minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, thyme, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes longer. Add the clams, canned clams, and their juice and simmer, stirring often, until the potatoes are tender 12-15 minutes. Do not over cook, or the clams will be tough.
6. Add the milk and cream, and stir well over very low heat until hot. Do not boil, or the soup will curdle. Adjust the seasonings, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately.

Serves 10-12.

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Ingredients

Crust
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (about 27 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers or 20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed)
Filling
3 bricks (8 oz each) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 large eggs
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 oz milk chocolate
4 oz white chocolate
4 oz semisweet chocolate
Chocolate Glaze
3 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
2 Tbsp stick butter
1 Tbsp light corn syrup

Directions

1. Place a sheet of foil on oven rack to catch any drips. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need an 8 x 3-in. springform pan coated with nonstick spray.
2. Crust: In small bowl, rub butter into crumbs until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press firmly over bottom of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes on foil sheet until set. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
3. Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl several times with a silicone or rubber spatula. With mixer on low speed beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then sour cream and vanilla just until blended.
4. Divide the batter evenly (about 2 cups each) among 3 medium bowls. Melt the chocolates separately. Stir milk chocolate into 1 bowl of batter, white chocolate into another and semisweet chocolate into third. Spread milk chocolate batter in prepared crust in an even layer. Carefully spoon white chocolate batter over milk chocolate layer to cover; gently smooth with an offset spatula (do not let batters run together). Spoon semisweet chocolate batter over white chocolate layer to cover; smooth with an offset spatula (do not let batters run together).
5. Bake 1 1/4 hours or until set and center still jiggles slightly when shaken (cake should have pulled away from sides of pan; if not, carefully run a thin knife around edge of pan to release cheesecake). Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
6. Chocolate Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients in a small saucepan; whisk over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; let cool 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove pan sides; place cheesecake on serving plate. Spread glaze over top of cheesecake, just to the edge (some glaze may drip down side of cake). Refrigerate just until glaze is set or, if chilled longer, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 16.

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Ingredients

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and grated
1/2 cup finely diced leeks, white part only
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
For the chutney
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeño, minced
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced

Directions

1. For the latkes Press the excess water from the grated potatoes.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the potatoes with the leeks, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the oil. Use a tablespoon to drop potato batter into the skillet. Flatten the potatoes with a spatula. Fry until golden brown, a couple minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
4. For the chutney In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, water, brown sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
5. Add the shallots, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté about 5 minutes. Stir in the apples and orange juice mixture. Let come to a low simmer.
6. Cover and cook until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with the latkes.

Serves 8.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil, plus 4 tiny basil sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped sage
1 teaspoon minced rosemary
1 pound ground pork
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup red wine
One 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, crushed with their liquid
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 1/2 cups fresh whole-milk ricotta
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon minced marjoram
1 pound rigatoni

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, chopped basil, mint, sage and rosemary and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 7 minutes.
2. Add the ground pork, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, breaking up the pork, until the meat is mostly white. Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes with their liquid and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the fennel seeds and season with salt and pepper.
4. In a bowl, stir the ricotta, then stir in the milk and marjoram and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the ricotta into shallow pasta bowls.
5. Cook the rigatoni in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain. Add the pasta to the ragù and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute; season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta into the bowls, garnish with the basil sprigs and serve.

Serves 4.

Make Ahead: The pork ragù can be refrigerated for 3 days.

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