Seafood

Al Fresco: Linguine with Clams

2008/Jun/12 05:51

Fresh ingredients, lightly cooked, eaten ooutdoors. Pour the Soave, let’s eat.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS
(Adapted from Marcella’s Italian Kitchen by Marcella Hazan)
for 2 people

Warm 2 plates in the toaster oven set to 200F/95C.

12 live Manila clams
Scrub clam shells with brush. Discard any clams that do not close during cleaning.

9 oz. (255g) dried linguine (12 oz./340g, fresh)
Bring water for pasta to boil, while you start the sauce.

3 TBL. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz (100g) sugar snap peas
sea salt
ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, minced

Put garlic and oil in large skillet or wok — something that will be large enough to hold both the sauce and pasta. Heat pan over medium flame, and saute garlic until it softens and becomes aromatic. Add peas, salt and pepper, stir to coat with oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until peas become bright green. Increase heat to high, and quickly add cleaned clams and wine, and immediately cover the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes with cover closed, shaking pan occasionally.

Add a good handful of coarse salt to boiling water for pasta, and add linguine. Return to boil and cook until barely firm to the bite, maybe 5 minutes for dried, and 2 for fresh. I try to slightly undercook it at this stage, because the pasta will still cook with the sauce.

Check sauce. Turn heat down to medium, and remove peas and any clams that are opened to a warmed plate, and keep covered (this will keep them from over-cooking). Continue to remove clams as they open. When all clams are opened (or after another 4-5 minutes, discard any clams that don’t open), add parsley to sauce. Drain pasta but do not rinse. Add pasta to pan, and stir well to combine with sauce. Return peas and clams to pan, cover, turn off heat and let pan sit for 3-4 minutes while wine is poured and outside table is set.

Divide pasta and clams between two warmed bowls, garnish with more parsley, a grind of pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Carry bowls outside. Mangia!

vongole_linguine02

We actually had this meal 2 weekends ago, and afterwards I was craving a cake, which I rarely do. In fact, the cake I was craving was a polenta torta so the next day I made the version with preserved lemon and almond here. Unlike many lemon desserts, the preserved lemon cake is well-suited to a rich cup of coffee!

(Read more about choosing safe fish and shellfish for Hawaii, the US, and around the world.)

Tags: Seafood, Noodles

Recap: Cakes, Nuts, Crab Cioppino

2008/Jan/09 08:44

A quick summary of recipes that didn't get posted during the holiday sabbatical, but were too delicious to ignore.

First was a dried fruit and nutcake that just happened to also be vegan. I say it that way because there's a misconception that vegan desserts = "dry, crumbly and and uninteresting." I confess, I've thought that myself. But done right, and with recipes developed by people who love good food, vegan sweets are light, luscious and very ono. The vegan butterscotch quick bread by Hannah of Bittersweet that we made in October (see post) proved that point, and so did this brandy-soaked dried fruit and nut cake from bee and Jai at Jugalbandi. Their recipe provided enough batter for a gift cake (shown here, made with a Gugelhupf pan — smaller than a Bundt) and a 8x8 cake for us. Bee recommended soaking the dried fruits in rum for a month before baking!

I only had 3 days to soak my cherries, apricots and raisins in brandy, but I would like to try the longer soaking method in future. I did save the soaking liquid, poured it over the square cake, wrapped it tightly in plastic and foil, and kept it in the fridge until after new year's. We had our first slices this past weekend over a beach-side breakfast — I have to say, our spirits rose with the sun! It is so flavorful and moist, it's hard to believe it was made without eggs or oil. I'm not a fan of glaced fruit, so I don't like traditional fruitcakes. This, however, is a cake of a different order. Bee's Fruit and Nut Cake recipe.

We were invited to a wonderful Italian-American Christmas dinner with our friends Laurie and Brian and their family. Chef Brian prepared stromboli, veal parmesan, and spaghetti with meatballs, all from scratch — he was prepping into the wee hours of Christmas morning, bless him! I offered to make Tiramisu for dessert, in keeping with their Italian menu. Laurie is expecting their third child in February so the raw eggs in my usual recipe were out of the question. Instead, I tried a creme anglaise base so the eggs were cooked before adding the other custard ingredients, and proceeded as usual. I was impressed how close this came to the original, without the worry of having to use raw eggs! This may be my recipe of choice in future because it does eliminate the concern about the eggs. Don't be tempted to substitute cocoa powder for the grated chocolate in this recipe. Chalky powder (no matter which brand) can't compete with the creamy texture and taste grated dark chocolate lends this recipe. Tiramisu, custard-based recipe. Our thanks and love to Brian and Laurie for sharing their family celebration this year — Chef B, you're the best!

This was an alternative recipe for sweet spiced nuts (see post) that does not use egg whites. It's actually more like the candied walnuts (minus the sugar coating) we had with the spicy prawns at our favorite Chinese restaurant, and they are certainly tasty. But (you knew there was a "but" coming) they're cooked first in a sugar syrup, cooled in syrup overnight, dried another night, deep-fried, and coated in sugar. It's pretty time-consuming, and very laden with fat and sugar. With that word to the wise, here's the recipe for Crispy Sweet Walnuts.
sweetnuts_dryin

For our second consecutive Christmas Eve we had Dungeness crab cioppino. Little piece of heaven. Until we moved to Hawaii 3 years ago, I had not had Dungeness in 10 years, and T had never tried it. Having grown up in Maine and around lobster boats as a teen, dear hubby was of the opinion that no crab was worth the effort of all the work it took to eat it. He had never tried Dungeness. Let's just say, in the immortal words of "The Borg": he was assimilated. This is the first time we've included fresh clams — their extra sweetness was a delight, but not necessary if they're not available where you are. Dungeness crab cioppino recipe.
cioppino

Tags: Appetizers, Desserts, Recipes, Seafood

Here's Lookin' at You: Garlicky Shrimp in Butter Sauce

2008/Jan/06 04:19

Taking advantage of the abundant fresh fish and shellfish available here, we often turn first to the classics. When it comes to fresh shrimp, few things can top this simple preparation often called "scampi" in seafood and Italian restaurants: whole shrimp sauteed in garlic oil and spices, and finished in a light buttery cream sauce. And when it comes to garlic, the highest authority on my shelves is the The Garlic Lovers' Cookbook (see book review) by the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association. Gilroy, California proudly claims itself the "Garlic Capital of the World" and during the last weekend in July for the last 30 years, over one hundred thousand visitors to its 3-day festival make it so. The Gilroy Garlic Festival serves up everything from its Gourmet Alley classics like calamari salad, garlic bread and this scampi, to the more unusual garlic wine, ice cream, chocolates, and "mountain oysters." All profits from the festival go to local charities. It's a delicious win-win for everyone. This year the Festival will take place July 25-27th at Christopher Ranch in Gilroy. If you're planning your first trip there, a word to the wise: go early, and don't let the garlic ice cream be the first thing you try that day! Until you can stroll Gourmet Alley for yourself, these finger-lickin' ono shrimp will tide you over.

GARLICKY SHRIMP IN BUTTER SAUCE
(adapted from The Garlic Lovers' Cookbook)

Butter Sauce
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, finely mince
4 oz. clam juice or fish stock
2 TBL. flour
2 tsp. minced parsley
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dry basil
Dash of nutmeg
1/4 cup (60 ml) half-and-half, or light cream
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Over very gentle heat, saute garlic in butter (don't let butter brown). Combine clam juice, flour, and parsley, and stir until smooth. Add to pan and blend well. Add wine, lemon juice, basil and nutmeg, blend well. Slowly add dairy, and stir until thickened. Simmer gently 30 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.

Scampi
2 TBL. butter
2 TBL. olive oil
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
Juice and zest from 1/2 lemon
1 TBL. parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. minced fresh basil
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine
Dash of sherry
1 lb. shrimp
sea salt and ground black pepper

Heat butter and oil over medium heat, add garlic and cook to soften. Add lemon juice, parsley, pepper, basil, wine, sherry, and salt and pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add shrimp, and lemon zest, and toss to combine. Cook until shrimp are just firm, and turning pink. Pour Butter Sauce over and heat through. Immediately remove from heat and serve with Bruschetta or over long pasta (linguine, spaghetti, etc.) to soak up the delicious sauce.

Tags: Seafood, Recipes, Noodles

Game Day in the Big Easy: Crawfish Etouffee

2008/Jan/02 13:44

Update (January 8, 2008): With Paula's permission, her recipe replaces the previous version. This is the keeper recipe. Thanks, Paula!

New Year's Day foods have to be special, even when they're not the traditional Japanese fare we usually have (previous post). And since we decided to postpone making sukiyaki until dad's upcoming visit, something equally special had to fill those proverbial shoes. But what? Well, the University of Hawaii Warriors were playing in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day — first time ever in this Bowl game — and the island was caught up in the excitement of this momentous game. The game was in New Orleans so it seemed natural to make our favorite dish from the Big Easy — Crawfish Etouffee (EH-too-fay).

I've never been to New Orleans, so everything I know about it, I learned in my first bowl of crawfish etouffee — It's earthy and spicy, and little bit naughty. My dear friend Paula, a Nawlins native now residing in Cambridge, Mass., shared her family's recipe for etouffee with us when she wanted to introduce us to the joys of crawfish. The shellfish in question was already cooked, peeled and frozen -- ready to be added to a prepared sauce. This is the only type of crawfish I've ever had, but it's pretty darn tasty — and the frozen pack is a full pound of solid tail meat, no shells. A trick I learned from Paula is to add the frozen crawfish unthawed to the simmering sauce so the all-important liquid "fat" is added to the sauce too. This will add a lot of flavor to your finished dish. (To find crawfish on Oahu, see Honolulu Chinatown post)

In their native habitat, crawfish are actually small lobster-like crustaceans (see drawing on package) similar to langoustines on the Continent, and they are wildly popular in Louisiana — boiled in a spicy brew in vast quantities and eaten from the shell. I've not had the pleasure of this Big Easy experience, but until I do, the etouffee will keep us happy.

PAULA'S CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE
(The real McCoy)

For the Roux (roo):
3 TBL. butter
3 TBL. flour

Combine butter and flour in heavy-bottomed pan (cast-iron is ideal) and cook on very low heat, stirring constantly, for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it achieves a nutty color.
Roux at the start

An internet version says you can skip making the roux because it makes the etouffee heavy. This might be true of a short-cooked roux, but the longer a roux is cooked, the less binding power it has because the flour is browning and losing its glutinous quality. Instead, the long-cooked roux lends a nutty flavor and buttery finish that is completely lost if this step is omitted. It's worth the time, trust me.

Crawfish Etouffee with Bruschetta and Tabasco

2 TBL. EACH oil and unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup, 150g)
1/2 bell pepper, finely diced (about 1/2 cup, 85g)
1 large stalk celery, finely diced (about 1/2 cup, 85g)
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 TBL.)
1 cup (160g) minced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 TBL. paprika
1 tsp. thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 bunch scallions, chopped (about 3/4 cup, 37g)
1 TBL. Worcestershire sauce
1 TBL. minced parsley
pinch cayenne
1 1/2 cup (375ml) fish or chicken stock
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
1 lb. (450g) crawfish tail meat, with fat

Heat the butter/oil in a pan and saute the onion, bell pepper and celery over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, green onions, thyme, bay leaves, tomato, parsley, salt, and both peppers. Add stock and white wine to the roux and stir to combine, then add to sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add frozen crawfish or cleaned tail meat, cover and simmer another 10 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with boiled long-grain rice, and a side of french bread or Bruschetta. Hot sauce on the table for the brave. Paula also recommends potato salad with this. Now that's good eatin'!!

ADDENDUM
I just had to share this bit I heard on the morning news about the Warriors game at the Superdome. It's a testament to the spirit of Aloha that this state can personify.

Tens of thousands of fans from Hawaii flew out to New Orleans for this historic game. Optimism for another win to top off the Warriors' undefeated season was raging. Unfortunately, the Georgia Bulldogs have a bite nastier than their bark, and the Warriors faced a crushing 10-41 defeat. Although it seemed clear by the 4th quarter that the Warriors would not be able to rally back to win, and despite the late hour (it was after midnight CST), the overwhelming majority of Hawaii fans stayed to cheer their team. At the game's end, as the team started to leave the field, the fans gave them a raucous standing ovation. You could see the surprise light up the team's faces as they stopped dead in their tracks to acknowledge the applause. Now that's taking care of your ohana (family). In the dark disappointment of the night, Hawaii had brought their Warriors . . . a rainbow.

Tags: Recipes, Seafood

Three Tastes

Tao in the Kitchen

Al Fresco: Linguine with Clams

Recap: Cakes, Nuts, Crab Cioppino

Here's Lookin' at You: Garlicky Shrimp in Butter Sauce

Game Day in the Big Easy: Crawfish Etouffee