Clams with Wine and bacon

Ingredients:

·         3 dozen Manila clams or Littleneck clams, live and in their shells

·         1/2 pound dried penne pasta

·         4 oz. pancetta or thick-cut bacon, cut into chunks

·         2 T. olive oil

·         3 green garlics, including some stalk (use can sub in mature garlic, but use 5 cloves)

·         3 chopped spring onions or scallions

·         2 T. finely chopped parsley

·         1 T. finely chopped dill or fennel fronds

·         1/4 cup dry white wine or fino sherry

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Set a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. It should taste like the sea.

While the pasta water is coming to a boil, chop your green garlic roughly and combine with the chopped green onions.

Heat a large saute pan with a lid over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it's hot, about 2-3 minutes, add the chunks of pancetta or bacon and cook slowly until they are getting crispy, but not quite done.

At that point, add the chopped garlic and onion and stir well to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle a little salt over everything.

Right now your pasta water should be boiling. Once it is, add the pasta; I like penne, which makes an otherwise light meal a little more substantial. You could use any dried pasta, however. Do not use filled pastas and do not use fresh pastas, though -- fresh pasta will be too soft to stand up to clams in their shells.

Once the pasta is cooking well, turn the heat up to medium-high in your saute pan and add the white wine or sherry, half the parsley and half the dill -- then all the clams. Shake the pan around to combine things, then cover it closely. When you see the wine boil, turn the heat down to medium-low.

Peek into the saute pan after 5 minutes: Once the clams are all opened up (or at least most of them), turn the heat off and cover the pan until the pasta is ready.

When the pasta is done, add it to the clam sauce and toss everything to combine. Sometimes it helps to pour everything into a really large bowl and mix things that way. Add the rest of the parsley and dill and serve with ground pepper over it all.

Fwd: Grilled Rack of Lamb over Rosemary Fig Sauce

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Mark Voigts" <mhvoigts@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 19, 2009 3:12 PM
Subject: Grilled Rack of Lamb over Rosemary Fig Sauce
To: "Mark Voigts" <mhvoigts@gmail.com>, <go@blogger.com>

 

Marinade:
3 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup each fresh thyme and fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 racks of lamb (8 to 10 ounces each)

Fig Sauce:
1 cup fresh* figs (about 8 ounces), divided
1 small shallot, chopped fine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups lamb or chicken broth
4 long sprigs of fresh rosemary; for garnish
1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1. In bowl large enough to hold lamb, combine all ingredients for marinade; mix well. Add lamb, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
2. For Fig Sauce, stem and quarter 1/2 cup figs. Cook with shallot in hot oil for 10 minutes. Add rosemary and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in red wine and broth. Simmer gently until reduced by half.
3. Drain lamb. Reserve marinade. Grill lamb 4 to 6 inches from hot coals, basting with reserved marinade, for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until desired doneness. Discard unused marinade
4. To serve, remove stems and quarter remaining 1/2 cup figs. Add to sauce. Reheat. Divide and spoon onto individual serving plates. Place rack of lamb on top. Garnish with rosemary.

Makes 4 servings.

Grilled Rack of Lamb over Rosemary Fig Sauce

 

Marinade:
3 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup each fresh thyme and fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 racks of lamb (8 to 10 ounces each)

Fig Sauce:
1 cup fresh* figs (about 8 ounces), divided
1 small shallot, chopped fine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups lamb or chicken broth
4 long sprigs of fresh rosemary; for garnish
1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1. In bowl large enough to hold lamb, combine all ingredients for marinade; mix well. Add lamb, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
2. For Fig Sauce, stem and quarter 1/2 cup figs. Cook with shallot in hot oil for 10 minutes. Add rosemary and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in red wine and broth. Simmer gently until reduced by half.
3. Drain lamb. Reserve marinade. Grill lamb 4 to 6 inches from hot coals, basting with reserved marinade, for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until desired doneness. Discard unused marinade
4. To serve, remove stems and quarter remaining 1/2 cup figs. Add to sauce. Reheat. Divide and spoon onto individual serving plates. Place rack of lamb on top. Garnish with rosemary.

Makes 4 servings.

Navy sky divers coming into Safeco field

M's win in grand fashion

Getting one of the last bobbleheads.

Clam chowder

Try adding rosemary

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <mhvoigts@hotmail.com>
Date: Jul 5, 2009 7:12 PM
Subject: Mark has sent you a recipe
To: <mhvoigts@gmail.com>

This Epicurious.com recipe:
Clam and Corn Chowder
has been sent to you from Mark

Mark wants you to know: Clam chowder from epicurious.com

You can view the complete recipe online at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/239243

Clam and Corn Chowder
3 bacon slices, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 bunch scallions (5 or 6)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 cups corn (from about 4 ears)
1 pound boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1/2 cup water
2 pounds small hard-shelled clams, well scrubbed
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cook bacon in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until slightly browned but not crisp. Chop white and pale green parts of scallions (reserve greens) and add to bacon along with 1 tablespoon butter. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in corn, potatoes, clam juice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a rolling boil, uncovered. Add clams and return to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until clams are just opened wide, 5 to 8 minutes (discard any clams that remain unopened after 8 minutes).

Chop 1/2 cup scallion greens and add to chowder along with milk, cream, and remaining tablespoon butter. Cook, stirring, until heated through (do not let boil). Season with salt and pepper.

Gourmet
August 2007
Shelley Wiseman
2007-07-16 16:11:24.0

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