Soft Clam "Flabbina"

[The Old Foodie]

I came across this recipe in the New York Times of 1904 while I was researching old recipes for clam bisque. I have never come across the term 'flabbina' before, and cannot find any other reference using the word - I have tried various other spellings (not that the NYT would make a spelling error of course).

I am curious. Have any of you come across it before? Is it a regional word?

Here is the recipe:

Soft clam flabbina is prepared as follows: If you do not go to the great markets have your fish dealer, for four persons, open under your personal observation from, according to size, two to three dozen soft clams, saving only the juice and bellies. Stew these gently ten minutes when add half a pint of standared tomato soup, half a tablespoonful of Worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce to taste, and a sliced lemon. Bring this to a boil, and at the moment of serving incorporate a glass of madeira.

I know I can rely on you eGulleters!

Janet

[Chris Amirault]

I am flabbingasted.

[thursdaynext]

Okay. There's nothing that distracts me more from my ACTUAL job than an obscure research question. Anyhow, here's my 2 cents- I also found nothing on "Flabbina," or any any variation thereof, but the following caught my eye:

Alessandro Filippini, chef at Delmonico's (Pine Street) Restaurant wrote several cookbooks. His La Table: How To Buy Food, How to Cook It, and How to Serve It includes a similar, more upscale version of the 1904 NYT recipe called "Soft Clams à la George Merrill," as below from the 1889 edition:

"389. Soft Clams à la George Merrill.—Have thirty-six fresh and

rather small soft clams, throw away all the hard part, keeping nothing but

the body. Place them in a stewpan with two ounces of butter, half a

pinch of pepper, a finely chopped shallot, and half a glassful of Madeira

wine. Let cook on the hot stove for seven minutes, then add a gill of

Espagnole sauce (No. 151), a pinch of chopped parsley, the juice of a

medium-sized, good lemon, and half an ounce of good butter, shuffling

the whole well for three minutes longer, without letting it boil, then pour

the clams into a hot tureen, and serve."

Soft Clams Filippini?

Now I need to find out who George Merrill was...