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Yummy Links: From Michael Symon to Padma Lakshmi

partysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:15:51 -0800

Q&A with Iron Chef and recent cookbook author Michael Symon. - Serious Eats
Five ways to enjoy avocado any time of day. - The Epi-Log
The Food Network UK has launched and has high hopes of expanding. - Eater
Eight graphic reasons why you should not deep-fry your turkey this year. - Eat Me Daily
Must make: linguine with clams and chorizo - Chow
One of the founders of Eater, Ben Leventhal, is now opening a restaurant. - Grub Street NY
Padma Lakshmi believes the next Top Chef could be from San Francisco. - 7x7

Killer Apps: Clams Casino

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:38 -0800

Although appetizers aren't the first thing that come to mind when one thinks of Thanksgiving dinner, I like to give my family something to nibble on while they wait for the big meal. Usually I serve a luxurious bite like crab cakes or baked brie with mushrooms. This year, I'm offering a classic seafood crowd-pleaser, clams casino.

Even my mom, who's not into clams, enjoys these savory, finger-licking-good, bacon-and-shallot-topped clams. They can be assembled in the morning and baked later, making them ideal for an event like Thanksgiving. These delicious clams are also an excellent addition to a cocktail party menu, so bookmark the recipe now

Monday's Leftovers: Quick Cioppino

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:01 -0700

The beginning of the workweek is always on the strenuous side, so keep Monday nights as effortless as possible by selecting a swift dinner recipe that calls for ingredients you've already got on hand.

By doubling up on the amount of halibut and clams that you needed for last night's meal, you won't have to worry about hitting up the supermarket again.

Take a stab at a stress-free riff on cioppino, the classic San Francisco stew. With a mere 30 minutes, you can make a savory soup that's sure to allay any of your weekday stresses. See the recipe when you read more.

Sunday Dinner: Halibut With Leeks, Mushrooms, and Clams

YumSugar — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:30:20 -0700

There's no better way to really catch Fall fever than to prepare a steamy seafood dish that also incorporates the season's top produce picks.

For dinner tonight, sauté aromatic leeks and unconventional hen of the woods mushrooms in butter, add broth, and simmer halibut and clams in liquid until just barely cooked.

The resulting meal, which is delicate both in texture and flavor, makes for an enjoyable end to the weekend. Ready to cook it? Then read more.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Fettuccine With Clams

partysugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:15:17 -0700

Linguine and clams is one of my all-time favorite meals. I've made countless variations, sometimes with cream, other times with a ton of herbs or bacon. However, I've never made pasta with clams and chorizo! This mouthwatering recipe is simple, but luxurious. It's the perfect meal to start the weekend. The quick sauce is made with sautéed garlic, chorizo, white wine, and diced tomatoes. A generous sprinkling of parsley finishes it off. Be sure to serve with a loaf of crusty bread for mopping up the flavorful sauce. To learn how it's done, read more.

Spicy Fettuccine With Clams
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3/4 pound fettuccine or linguine pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Three 5-inch links precooked chorizo (9 ounces total), sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups dry white wine
3 dozen small clams, such as littleneck, rinsed
1-1/2 cups diced tomatoes with their juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Increase the heat to high, add the wine and clams, cover and boil. Stir occasionally and, as the clams open, transfer them to a large bowl.
Add the tomatoes to the pan and boil for 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to low, add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, add the clams and sprinkle the parsley on top.

Serves 4.

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Transport Your Taste Buds to the Shore With Clam Chowder

YumSugar — Sat, 23 May 2009 08:00:49 -0700

One recent Summer afternoon at Sam's Chowder House, I enjoyed some of the best New England clam chowder I'd ever had. Ever since, then, I've had lingering thoughts of making an inspired version at home, which was further encouraged when I came across a copy of The Summer Shack Cookbook, in which I earmarked a promising recipe for fresh-from-scratch, authentic New England clam chowder.

The recipe calls for quahogs, the unofficial chowder clam of New England, but since those aren't widely available on the West Coast, I substituted them with Manila clams. You can use any kind that works for you. For a taste of the ocean, read more.

Creamy Cape Cod Clam Chowder
From The Summer Shack Cookbook by Jasper White

Ingredients

10 pounds small quahogs or large cherrystone clams
2 cups water
4 ounces meaty salt pork, rind removed and cut into small (1/3-inch) dice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery (4 ounces), cut into 1/3-inch dice
5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped (1 tablespoon)
1 large dried bay leaf
2 pounds Yukon Gold, Maine, PEI, or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dice
2 cups heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher or sea salt if needed
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

Scrub the clams and rinse well. Place them in a large pot, add the water, cover, and turn the heat to high. Once you see a little steam escape from the pot, let the clams cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and quickly move the clams around in the pot so they will cook evenly, then cover and cook for 5 minutes more, or until the clams open.
Pour off the broth and reserve. After it has settled a bit, strain the broth, leaving the bottom 1/2 inch of broth (and sediment) in the container. You should have about 4 cups. Remove the clams from the shells, place in a bowl, and refrigerate until cold.
Dice the clams into small (1/3- to 1/2-inch) pieces. Cover and refrigerate.
Rinse and dry the pot and heat over low heat. Add the salt pork and cook until crispy and brown. Add the butter, onions, garlic, celery, thyme, and bay leaf and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, until the onions are softened but not browned.
Add the potatoes and 4 cups reserved clam broth. The broth should just barely cover the potatoes; if it doesn't, add more broth or water. Turn the heat to high, cover the pot, and boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Smash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and stir them into the chowder to lightly thicken it.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream and diced clams. Season with black pepper; you may not need salt (the clams usually add enough of their own). If you are serving the chowder within the hour, just let it sit and "cure." Otherwise, let cool to room temperature and refrigerate it; cover it after it has chilled.
When ready to serve, reheat the chowder slowly over medium heat; do not let it boil. Ladle into cups or bowls and sprinkle with the parsley.

Makes 3 quarts; serves 12 as an appetizer or 6 to 8 as a main course.

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Come Party With Me: Memorial Day - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:12 -0700

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of Summer, so to celebrate, round up a group of friends and host a casual but cozy barbecue.

Begin the fun with fingerlicking good grilled clams and garlic butter. Next move on to an easy dinner menu of the American favorite - steak and potatoes - made sophisticated by the smoky flavor of the grill.

Mexican spice-rubbed steak with lime butter is an eye catching entree. Pair with crisp-charred sweet-hot fries and romaine, avocado, and corn salad. Take a look at the recipes to these backyard favorites when you read more.

Grilled Clams With Garlic Butter
From Food Network

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds littleneck clams, well scrubbed (about 24)
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, divided
4 large garlic cloves, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced chives
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat a grill over medium heat.
Scrub and rinse the clams. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat until it is foamy. Add the garlic and saute, stirring, until it is fragrant but does not color, about 30 seconds.
Add the white wine and heavy cream, increase the heat to medium-high and reduce by half, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining butter 1 piece at a time, whisking constantly, until the sauce is shiny, emulsified, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the chives and season with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm until ready to serve.
Set up the littleneck clams on the grill. Cook the clams without turning them. As soon as the clams pop open, after 8 to 10 minutes, transfer them carefully with tongs to a platter (or plates) of rock salt. Use the tongs to pry off the top shells. Spoon 1 teaspoon sauce over each clam and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

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Mexican Spice-Rubbed Rib Eyes With Lime Butter
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle powder
Four 12-ounce, 1-inch thick, boneless rib eye steaks
Vegetable oil, for the grill

Directions

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, lime zest, lime juice and a pinch of salt.
In another bowl, combine the paprika, cumin and chipotle powder with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Rub the mixture all over the steaks.
Oil the grate and grill the steaks over moderately high heat, turning once, until slightly charred and medium-rare, about 12 minutes.
Transfer the steaks to plates and top with the lime butter. Let the steaks stand for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

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Sweet-Hot BBQ Tater Fries
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, each slice cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Additional olive oil

Directions

Prepare barbecue (medium heat).
Place potatoes in 13 x 9x 2-inch baking dish. Add 1/4 cup oil, chopped fresh rosemary, brown sugar, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
Brush grill lightly with oil. Place potatoes on grill, spacing about 1 inch apart. Grill until potatoes are tender and slightly charred, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes total.
Transfer potatoes to bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 4-6.

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Romaine, Avocado, and Corn Salad
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1/2 head romaine lettuce, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 cups corn kernels
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

In a bowl combine the romaine, corn, and cherry tomatoes.
Add 3/4 cup of avocado.
Place the remaining avocado in a blender along with 1/3 cup water, lime juice, and chili powder; season with salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over the salad; toss gently.

Serves 4.

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7 Surefire Sustainable Seafood Options

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:50:42 -0700

Though organic produce has been at the forefront of the food movement over the last handful of years, sustainable seafood has only recently gained much-needed attention. Fishing practices for some of America's most popular seafood choices (salmon, eel, Chilean sea bass) are putting seafood populations in peril, interrupting aquatic habitats, and causing damaging water pollution. I'll be the first to admit that it can be hard to keep track of what seafood is and isn't environmentally sound to eat, since it depends on the way it's caught and where it comes from. For those in question, you can always refer to the Seafood Watch, an advisory that will tell you what's OK to eat and what's off-limits. Don't forget these seven surefire seafood options that are, for the most part, always sustainably sound.

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New England Clam Chowder Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:00:31 -0800

For respite from the harshest Winter days, turn to the simple yet satiating Northeastern staple known as clam chowder. Not only will this soup provide you with warmth in the most bone-chilling weather, but its shellfish base will remind you that balmy Summer days at the beach aren't but several months away. This balanced, nutritious, one-pot meal can be made with shortcuts like bottled clam juice; or, for an extra-special soup, make the seafood base from scratch. To make either version of this New England classic, read more.

Beginner New England Clam Chowder
From the Culinary Institute of America

Ingredients

1 1/4 pound canned clams, minced, juices reserved
2-3 cups bottled clam juice
2 bacon slices, minced
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 pound potatoes, peeled, diced
3 cups heavy cream or half and half
6 tablespoons dry sherry, or to taste
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Oyster or saltine crackers, as needed

Directions

Drain the clam juice from the minced clams and combine with enough bottled juice to equal 3 cups of liquid.
Cook the bacon slowly in a soup pot over medium heat until lightly crisp, about 8 minutes.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2-3 minutes.
Whisk in the clam juice, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add more clam juice to adjust the consistency. Add the bay leaf and fresh thyme.
Add the potatoes and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the clams and cream in saucepan and simmer together until the clams are cooked, about 5-8 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, add the clams and cream to the soup base. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the sherry. Season to taste with salt, pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Serve in bowls with the crackers on the side.

Makes 8 cups.

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Expert New England Clam Chowder
From Martha Stewart's Cooking School

Ingredients

5 dozen littleneck clams (quahogs), scrubbed
3 cups water
1 ounce salt pork, rinsed well and cut into lardons
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
1/2 large yellow onion, cut into small dice (1 cup)
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (2 cups)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sprig thyme
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Cook clams and make broth: Combine clams and water in a medium stockpot, and then cover and bring to a boil. Cook until clams have opened, 5 to 6 minutes (discard any that remain closed). Use a slotted spoon to remove clams. Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter; you should have about 4 cups (if not, add a little water). When clams are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and coarsely chop. Discard shells.
Build the flavor base: Rinse the pot and dry completely. Cook the salt pork over medium heat until some of the fat has rendered and the remaining meat is light golden, about 3 minutes. (If there is not enough fat to coat the bottom of the pot, add the butter). Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Add broth and finish soup: Return the strained clam broth to the pot, along with the potato, thyme, and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender but not falling apart, 6 to 8 minutes (if desired, mash a few against the side of the pot to thicken the broth slightly). Stir in clams and cream and cook just until heated through, no more than a minute or so. (Do not boil, or cream will separate and clams will toughen.) Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Makes 6 cups.

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Come Party With Me: Italian Christmas Eve - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:00:21 -0800

On Christmas Eve it's customary for Italians to consume seafood for dinner; they enjoy course after course of rich fish items. Although my family has Irish origins, I thought it would be fun to plan an Italian-style Christmas Eve - this year we'll be eating seven delicious seafood dishes. To get the party started we'll have raw oysters and cold, marinated anchovies waiting for the guests. Once a group has arrived, the hot appetizers will be set out. Spicy seared scallops are a delightful bite and slices of clam pizza are crisp and salty.

At the dining table a tuna and white bean salad will be served, followed by a silky shrimp bisque. The meal finishes with a velvety lobster pasta with cream sauce. Doesn't it sound to die for? Look at these recipes when you read more.

Spicy Seared Scallops
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

24 sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved
Olive-oil cooking spray
For the seasoning:
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or more to taste
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
For the Garnish:
One 12-inch-long daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
5 romaine lettuce leaves, very thinly sliced

Directions

Combine flour, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, and cardamom in a small bowl. Dip each halved scallop into the flour mixture to coat; set aside.
Place daikon rounds on serving platter. Top each with shredded lettuce; set aside.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat with olive-oil spray, add coated scallops, and sear until light golden brown and cooked through, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer each seared scallop half to a daikon round. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 48.

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White Clam Pizza
From Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
Salt
1/3 cup flour, for dusting
Two 16-ounce packages refrigerated pizza dough
Two 1-pound containers frozen chopped clams, thawed and drained (about 2 1/2 cups)
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Pepper

Directions

Position a rack in the bottom of the oven, place an inverted baking sheet on top and preheat to 500°.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic and 2 pinches salt.
Lightly flour a baking sheet, place 1 piece of pizza dough on top and stretch to fit the dimensions of the baking sheet.
Drizzle 2 1/2 tablespoons garlic oil on top. Sprinkle half of the clams on top and season with 2 teaspoons Parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme and salt and pepper.
Set the baking sheet on the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another pizza.

Serves 4.

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Tuna and White Bean Salad
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 6-ounce cans tuna packed in oil
3 cups drained and rinsed canned white beans, preferably cannellini (from two 15-ounce cans)
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 bunches watercress (about 3/4 pound), tough stems removed and leaves chopped (about 2 quarts)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red- or white-wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions
Put the tuna with its oil, the beans, onion, capers, watercress, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.

Serves 4.

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Shrimp Bisque
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
4 cups seafood stock
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (3 leeks)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the shrimp shells and seafood stock in a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock. Add enough water to make 3 3/4 cups.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and cook them for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, or until the leeks are tender but not browned.
Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the cayenne pepper and shrimp and cook over medium to low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the Cognac and cook for 1 minute, then the sherry and cook for 3 minutes longer.
Transfer the shrimp and leeks to a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until coarsely pureed.
In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the half-and-half and cook, stirring with a whisk, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pureed shrimp, the stock, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and heat gently until hot but not boiling. Season, to taste, and serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

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Lobster Pasta With Herbed Cream Sauce
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

3 1 3/4-pound live lobsters
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 large plum tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 fresh tarragon sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh Italian parsley sprigs
6 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds fettuccine or linguine

Directions

Bring very large pot of salted water to boil. Add lobsters. Boil until cooked through, about 12 minutes (or cook in batches, if necessary).
Using tongs, transfer lobsters to large rimmed baking sheet. Remove meat from tail and claws; place meat in medium bowl. Remove any roe from bodies and place in small bowl. Cover and chill meat and roe (if any). Remove tomalley (green matter) from bodies and discard. Reserve bodies and shells.
Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add reserved lobster bodies and shells. Sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add tomato paste; stir 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, wine, vinegar, garlic, tarragon, thyme, and parsley. Add cream; boil 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer just until lobster flavor infuses cream, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Strain sauce into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard contents of strainer. (Lobster and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
Transfer sauce to heavy large saucepan. Cut lobster meat into bite-size pieces; coarsely crumble roe, if using. Add to sauce. Gently rewarm over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to pot. Add sauce; toss over medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large shallow bowl and serve.

Serves 10.

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