Clams with White Beans and Wine

interestingly, the best spot in my apartment for taking pictures of food after dark is on top of a bookshelf.

Look.  Shellfish are ugly.  Sometimes they have weird things hanging off their shells, and more often than not, they look like genitalia or snot.  But here’s the thing I didn’t know until this year:  THEY ARE DELICIOUS AND ARE ALMOST ALWAYS SERVED IN A SAUCE MADE OUT OF MELTED BUTTER.

In October, Sue and I went to Seattle to eat.  During the trip, I learned the following:

1.  Clams, even though they’re so ugly and weird looking with ridiculous valves and things that they really require that you not look directly at them as you lift them to your lips, are sweet little morsels of delight.

2.  Oysters, which are most often advertised by aggressive seafood eaters as being “briny”, (Really, everyone I’ve ever met?  Briny?  Think up a selling point that doesn’t remind me of all the worst parts of going to the beach) are actually quite lovely, and I even chewed mine, which apparently is not best practice for eating oysters.

3.  Mussels, despite looking quite obviously like tiny vaginas, are tender and sweet and are served with french fries a lot.

Last week, I saw a recipe in Food & Wine for mussels in white wine, and figured “forget my lifelong promise to myself not to cook seafood at home thanks to that time I was a kid and my mom made salmon and it made the whole house smell like fish for 17 days,  I’m gonna cook mussels at home!”  Except then, when I went to the store, I realized that mussels have to be de-bearded and that felt too scary so I bought clams instead.

Clams with White Beans and Wine

2 lb fresh Manila clams

6 cloves of garlic, minced

4 tbsp butter, divided

1 tsp bacon fat, from the jar I sincerely hope you keep in your fridge

4 tbsp olive oil

1 cup or so white wine, I used a white Bordeaux, because Sue taught me that I like “non-traditional grape varietals”

2 cans white Northern beans, drained and rinsed well

red pepper flakes

a lot of chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper

crusty bread

Method:  Clams are sandy.  To clean clams, you put them in a big bowl of salted cool water for 20 minutes to an hour before cooking, which makes them spit out all the sand.  Apparently, you can also put black pepper, flour or corn meal in the water to help them expel the sand.  I put in salt and pepper only.  When they’re done soaking, fish them out with a spoon and put them in a colander, scrubbing them thoroughly to remove the sand from the outside of the shells.

they weren't so sandy, i guess, because not a ton of sand came out and i didn't chew any sand.

Melt 2 tbsp of butter, the bacon fat and the olive oil in a large, shallow pan with sides and a fitted lid, on medium-low heat.  Toss in the garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and let it cook for maybe 4 or 5 minutes, moving it around frequently so it doesn’t burn.  Burnt garlic is almost as gross as that feeling when you realize the cute boy you’re talking to is a Republican.

After the 4-5 minutes, put in the beans and cook everything together for 5 minutes or so.

if you don't have a pan like this, clearly you don't go to homegoods as often as i do.

Then, pour in the wine and let it simmer for 5 more minutes.  Put in the clams and the remaining 2 tbsp of butter, stir it around a bit and put the lid on the pan for 5 minutes, shaking the pan a couple times to move things around.

i feel fancy that i did this.

Take the lid off, stir everything around, remove any clams that haven’t opened (because they were dead already, I think, is the reason that you don’t want to eat them, but that fact reminds me that I just cooked alive creatures in butter and wine and that’s jarring), put in the chopped parsley and serve with the bread.

all mine opened except 4. i assume "not open" meant not open at all, and that open only a little bit was still ok. i ate those, so if i die, they should really be more specific about how open clams are supposed to be.

This was so easy and so delicious I feel like a chump for every time I’ve been impressed by a dish like this in a restaurant.  Clams are fantastic, and butter, wine and garlic make for a no-lose situation.  Also, this entire process took less than 30 minutes.  I’ve always felt that shellfish are very high maintenance, which I suppose they are in terms of cleaning and de-bearding and de-icing or whatever else, but cooking them was fast and almost foolproof.  I think next time I make this, which based on how good this was might be tomorrow, I’ll put chorizo in it.

- Cat

Grilled Swordfish with Mango Salsa

One of the many sad things about having a small kitchen is not being able to cook fish inside. You can of course, but it will more than likely make your place smell like fish for a week, and while your cat might enjoy this, most people won’t. This is just one more reason I love grills, not to mention the wonderful smoky flavor the grill imparts to the fish. Fish can sometimes be a little finicky on the grill because of its tendency to stick or flake. Swordfish is excellent for grilling because of its meaty “steak”-like quality.  If you happen to be cooking for someone who is not a generally a fish fan (possibly because of texture?) this is a great option. I haven’t met a fish I won’t eat (or at least try…) but not everyone feels that way. This is a great beginner fish both for cooking and for eating.

Mango is in season right now which was the inspiration for the mango salsa topping. Mango salsa is a common pairing with fish; I blame fancy tropical islands I rarely get to visit. I also wanted to pair this with a light salad, and I thought the peppery flavor of the arugula would pair beautifully with the swordfish. This was wonderful, even the boyfriend (the non fish lover) really enjoyed the texture and flavor of the swordfish. It was hearty (while not heavy) and full of excellent complimentary flavors. This recipe will serve four.

Swordfish:

2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper

Juice of one lemon

2 large swordfish steaks

Salt and Pepper for the steaks before the grill

Mango salsa:

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced

½ medium yellow or red onion finely chopped

Approximately 1 cup diced tomatoes, I quartered cherry tomatoes

1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 small handful of cilantro, chopped

1 avocado, diced

Juice of one lime

1 tsp of honey

½ tsp of salt

Arugula Cous Cous salad:

1 cup pearl cous cous

2 large handfuls of arugula (about 2 cups)

Drizzle of olive oil

Juice of ½ of a lemon

Method:

Marinate the swordfish steaks in olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. The fish needs to marinate for 20 minutes or up to one hour. 20 minutes is perfect timing for making your mango salsa.

Dice, chop, and slice all the fruits and vegetables for salsa. Toss all the ingredients into a medium bowl and top with lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Cover and let the mango salsa marinate while everything else is prepared.

Prepare the pearl cous cous according to the package. Toss the arugula with the cooked pasta, drizzle with olive oil, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Oil the grates using your preferred method, I use ½ an onion dipped in oil stabbed with a large fork. Grill the swordfish steaks for approximately 6 minutes on each side or until the fish can be flaked easily with a fork.

To plate this dish, place the arugula cous cous salad on the bottom, layer the swordfish next, and top with the mango salsa.

A few notes:

Pearl cous cous is also known as Israeli cous cous, as you can see it is a much larger shape than traditional cous cous. I am a huge fan of it. It shouldn’t be too hard to find, but if it is, you can use orzo instead.

The honey isn’t a must in the salsa, but i think it helps to bring out the sweetness of the mango and tomato and mellow some of the spiciness of the onion.

-Sue

Grilled Halibut with Marinated Kale

This post is probably going to trick you into believing I eat really really healthy food. Don’t worry, that’s not true. But I have had this twice in the past week because it was so delicious. This is also one of those meals where after you eat it you feel satisfied and a little bit like someone should pat you on the back for choosing to eat this instead of pizza.

Now, let’s talk about kale. I thought for a long time that kale was gross. Turns out- I was wrong. Also, it’s quite possibly the best food for you. I’m fairly sure when you eat it, it will counteract that bowl of ice cream you may or may not have had for breakfast. Well maybe not, but it is crazy good for you.  It’s full of beta-carotene, antioxidants, calcium, iron, fiber, and potassium. It also has almost your entire daily recommended value of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, and vitamin B6. Seriously, this is what they mean when they say “super food”. It’s also tasty. It’s a hearty crunchy green with slightly bitter citrus taste.  Cat says kale tastes like health and trees. I said that did not sound appealing. Trust me, Cat eats a lot more vegetables than I do and if I like it, you will too.

For today’s dose of kale I paired it with some fish and roasted vegetables. This is a light fresh meal that you can prepare completely on the grill (which is wonderful for people like me who have a tiny kitchen that gets VERY hot in the summer).  The portions in this recipe are for two.

Grilled Halibut with Marinated Kale

Ingredients:

¾ lb halibut

1 bunch kale (green, purple, any kind)

3-4 lemons

1 tsp salt

3 medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

10+ cherry tomatoes (yellow or red)

1 can artichokes packed in water, drained

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Olive oil

1 Tbs freshly snipped chives

Method:

The kale needs to marinate for at least an hour, so you will want to make it first. Kale has a tough stem running almost the entire length of the leaf, to remove this make a V-shaped cut and discard the stem.

This is to show you the stem, i tried to lay it out flat but kale is stubborn

Roughly chop the kale into medium to small pieces (kale is hearty, so you will want this to be smaller than a piece of lettuce for a salad). In a large bowl toss the kale with the juice of 2 lemons, 1 tsp of salt, and the minced garlic. Cover and let marinate, stirring occasionally.

Make a foil packet with the tomatoes and artichokes. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

For the fish, on a piece of foil, slice 1 lemon as thinly as possible and place a layer under the fish (skin side down). Generously season the fish with freshly ground pepper, and a sprinkling of salt. Layer the top with the rest of the lemon, and sprinkle with chives. Drizzle everything with olive oil and seal up the package.

With the grill on medium heat cook the vegetable packet for 15 minutes. The fish will also take about 15 minutes, but it depends on the thickness of the fish. To check if the fish is done slice open the foil packet and poke the fish with a fork, if it flakes easily it’s finished.  Remove the lemons and slice the fish into equal portions.

Slice the additional lemon to squeeze over the fish to finish. This is of course optional, I just really love lemon.

To plate this dish, start with a generous portion of the kale, top with a serving of fish, and top the fish with the vegetables.

Healthy deliciousness

A few notes:

You could make this dish with pretty much any type of white fish, I have also done it with sea bass. It would also be delicious with chicken.

I specifically chose tomatoes and artichokes because they provide a little bit of sweetness and acidity that balances nicely with this dish. You can use anything your little heart desires.

This dish can also be prepared without a grill. You can roast the vegetables in a small pie plate and the fish can still be prepared in the foil, just put it on baking sheet.

Don’t be put off by the amount of garlic and lemon with the kale. Even if when you go to mix it, it smells overwhelming. That lovely kale absorbs just the right amount of flavor.

- Sue

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers

I wanted to make something with shrimp since the boyfriend was out with the boys for the night and he’s not a shrimp fan. I was chatting with Cat about food (what’s new) and we were tossing around ideas and came up with this. I knew I wanted shrimp, but Cat said scampi was boring. She suggested adding mango, I made it pineapple instead, and boom- this idea was born.

Last summer I made a glaze for chicken with a mix of piri piri hot sauce, butter, garlic, lemon juice and cilantro, it was wonderful. That was the inspiration for the sauce.

This is a really simple quick appetizer (or dinner) whip up the sauce, skewer everything, give it a quick turn on the grill, and drizzle with the sauce. Good to go. Quick and fancy- two of my favorite adjectives.

Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers with Spicy Sweet Sauce:

Sauce ingredients:

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ of a medium sized jalapeno seeded and minced

Juice of 3 limes (about ¼ cup)

2 Tbs honey

2 Tbs pineapple juice (or orange juice)

1 Tbs cilantro finely chopped

Dash of Tabasco

Pinch of salt

Heat the olive oil and butter until the butter is melted. Add the garlic and jalapeno and sauté for about a minute. Add lime juice, honey and pineapple juice. Cook on medium for 2-3 minutes. Add cilantro, Tabasco and salt. Cook for an additional minute and reduce heat to low until ready to use. Sauce can be prepared in advance and warmed before use.

For the skewers:

About 1 lb of raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed

Drizzle of olive oil

Bamboo skewers

Soak the bamboo skewers in water while you prepare everything (don’t skip this, trust me, if you do, they will catch fire). Alternate shrimp and pineapple on the skewers, drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Grill over medium heat about 3-4 minutes per side or until the shrimp is pink and the pineapple is lightly seared.

Drizzle the skewers with the sauce and serve warm.

notice the burnt skewers

A few notes:

If you don’t soak the skewers they will burn. See picture above. So don’t skip this step (or use metal ones).

I thought about serving these as lettuce wraps, which I still think would be delicious. Simply take everything off the skewers, wrap in a large leaf of butter lettuce (the best kind for lettuce wraps) and either drizzle with sauce, or dip them. A few leaves of fresh cilantro would probably also be delicious.

How to tell if pineapple is ripe: Look at it. Does it have a golden yellow color to it? Smell it. Does it smell like pineapple? These are the best ways to tell if it’s ripe. The pineapple should also feel heavy for its size and be firm to the touch, if it’s too soft it is probably rotten.  Here is a tutorial on how to cut a pineapple, it’s not hard, please don’t buy the precut stuff- it’s a waste of money.

Use big shrimp if you can. I used smaller shrimp, which was still delicious, but bigger is better (at least when it comes to shrimp).

- Sue

Diver Scallops with Linguine and Bacon

I love scallops. I especially love making them because they are fancy, and surprisingly not as expensive as you might think. You absolutely want to get fresh high quality diver scallops, but that’s really the main cost of this meal (and it’s really not that expensive, we are talking less than 10 bucks for enough scallops for 2 people).  This dish is super quick, and super easy to prepare, it’s a wonderful weeknight dinner for two or it can easily be adapted for more.

Ingredients:

3 strips of thick cut bacon

3 scallions, sliced

1 clove garlic, diced

6 scallops (3 per person is what I generally allot for)

2 servings of linguine

1 Tbs of olive oil, plus more for dressing the pasta

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Cayenne pepper (optional)

Method:

Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta (salt the water, it’s important, it adds a lot of flavor to the pasta). Cook the pasta while you prepare the scallops. Dice the bacon and cook over medium heat in a large skillet. Once the bacon is crisp use tongs to remove it from the pan, I like to put it in a bowl lined with a paper towel to help drain a bit of the fat. Remove the pan from the heat to let the oil cool slightly (burnt bacon fat is not a delicious smell).Pat dry the scallops, this is a very important step because if they are wet they will just steam in the pan instead of searing. Season your scallops liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. I add a light sprinkle of cayenne because I think it really adds to the scallops, but it’s optional (a light sprinkle will add flavor and not a lot of heat).

Depending on how much fat your bacon rendered, you may want to pour some off, you want about a tablespoon. You also could remove all of the bacon fat and use olive oil (but I don’t know why you would want to do that).  Put the pan back on the heat and warm to medium high. You want a HOT skillet because the key to scallops is to get a really good sear on them. Another key to scallop cooking is not to crowd the pan, if you add too many at one time it drops the temperature and you will not be able to get a proper sear. You should be able to fit 6 easily in a 10-12inch skillet, but any more than that you should do it in batches. Once the pan is hot, add the scallops carefully (they should sizzle). Do not touch them; let them cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until they have a dark sear. I find it easiest to use tongs to turn them over, but use whatever you are comfortable with.  Once the scallops are cooked remove from the pan and set aside.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic to the pan.

Cook until fragrant and then add the sliced scallions and cook for another 30 seconds or so just until the scallions start to wilt. Pour the garlic/scallion oil over the pasta and add another healthy drizzle of olive oil, add the cooked bacon and toss. Plate the pasta and top with 3 scallops apiece.

check out the beautiful sear

A few notes:

There are two kinds of scallops in the world, bay and sea. Bay scallops are found in the smaller bays of coastlines and sea scallops are found…well…in the sea. Bay scallops are quite a bit smaller, usually about 1/2″ in diameter where sea scallops are about 1 1/2″ in diameter. Diver scallops are sea scallops that are literally hand picked by divers. They are considered to be the highest quality (and most tasty in my opinion). While there is a time and a place for bay scallops, I think diver scallops are really ideal for use as an entrée.

-Sue

- Second note from Cat:  This isn’t my post, but since I have a scallop related anecdote, I have to take my chance.  I used to joke with my friend Andy Flynn that when I imagine scallops in the wild, I imagine a long white tube just crawling around in the sea, like a pale cucumber, and when we eat scallops, somebody just grabs the tube and chops it up into little circles.  I can’t remember why I thought this idea was so hilarious to begin with, and I am, of course, aware that isn’t actually true, but I do find it funny to think about.  So two summers ago, I was in Asia, and in this particular story, on an island off the coast of Thailand.  Thai islands have a lot of “beach BBQ” things going on for tourists, where they put all this seafood on tables, and you pick it out and they BBQ it for you.  Well, I finally saw scallops in the wild, turns out they are in pretty little shells, and not, in fact, long white tubes like I prefer to imagine.  The picture below is me, trying to explain to the skeptical Thai man at the BBQ stand why I found his scallops so fascinating.  He obviously thinks I’m a total idiot.  – Cat

i'm explaining that i've never actually seen a scallop in the shell, and that i think it's funny to imagine them being a long tube. he thinks i'm a moron, but is too polite to say so.