Article by Christine Budd
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients:
50 littleneck clams (3 pounds, 8 ounces total), scrubbed
2 cups water
2 cups dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
2 (1 ounce each) thick-cut bacon slices, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 medium-size (10 ounces) yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium-size (8 ounces) green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium (about 4 ounces total) carrots, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium (about 2 ounces total) celery stalks, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 ½ pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 dried bay leaf
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Black pepper
Directions:
Place clams, water and wine in a medium-size Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high; simmer until clams have opened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove and discard any clams that did not open. Set a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large heatproof bowl; pour clam mixture through strainer into bowl. Remove half of the clams from shells, and roughly chop (you’ll have about 1/4 cup). Reserve remaining clams in shell and clam broth separately (you’ll have about 5 cups broth). Rinse Dutch oven, and wipe dry.
Return Dutch oven to medium heat. Add bacon; cook, stirring often until browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add onion, bell pepper, carrots, and celery to drippings in Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add potatoes, salt, bay leaf and reserved clam broth to mixture in Dutch oven; bring to a boil, partially covered over medium heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Using a wooden spoon and gently mash some of the potatoes to thicken broth. Stir in tomatoes, chopped clams, clams in shell and bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Garnish with black pepper and additional thyme.
Spicy Baked Sea Trout with Lemon Sauce
Ingredients:
2 pounds of sea trout fillets or other firm fleshed fish
2 Tablespoons minced onion
¼ cup stick unsalted butter melted
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dash of black pepper
1 Tablespoon capers rinsed (optional)
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F.
Butter a glass casserole -large enough so that the fillets aren’t crowded.
Lay the fillets in a single layer in the glass casserole.
Whisk the melted butter, lemon juice, minced onion, salt, paprika, red pepper flakes, black pepper until well blended. (Also add the capers if you wish.) Pour the sauce evenly over the fillets.
Bake in the heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The fillets will be firm but still moist.
Serve immediately and spoon some additional sauce over the fillets.
Spinach Stuffed Flounder
Ingredients:
6 flounder fillets
½ tsp. Old Bay seasoning or to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
For the Stuffing:
3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese
½ cup feta cheese
3 oz. baby spinach, roughly chopped
Directions:
Place the cream cheese, mozzarella, feta, and chopped baby spinach into a large mixing bowl. Massage the spinach and the cheeses with your hands until they are well combined (it should look like a thick paste). Set aside.
Place the flounder fillets onto a large board. Sprinkle the desired amount of Old Bay Seasoning onto each fillet.
Divide the stuffing into 6 equal portions. Working one at a time, shape the portion of the stuffing into an egg shape and place it close to the tail of the fish. Then starting from the tail, roll each fillet up jelly-roll style and place it seam side down on the baking dish.
Sprinkle some more Old Bay seasoning on top, and using a pastry brush, spread some olive oil over the fillets.
Bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
Mahi Parmesan Appetizer Bites
Ingredients:
For Beer Batter:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of each, parsley, oregano, basil
2 tablespoons of paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 egg
1 12 oz. can or bottle of beer
All Other:
2 quarts of cooking oil for frying
1 jar of favorite marinara sauce
1 package shredded whole milk mozzarella
Grated parmesan
2 pounds of firm mahi fillets
Directions:
Heat oil to 375° while preparing batter.
Combine all dry ingredients, (except fish) add egg, then beer and beat till smooth.
Dip fish chunks in batter and fry in hot oil until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.
On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place fried chunks of mahi on the sheet.
Top with marinara sauce and cheese and bake until the cheese melt.
Serve with picks for appetizers.
Ahi Tuna Appetizer
with Wasabi Glaze
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2½ teaspoons wasabi paste
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon honey
1 pound Ahi tuna fillet, sushi grade
Neutral oil for the pan (like vegetable, avocado, grapeseed)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh chives for garnish, washed and dried, finely chopped
Directions:
Make the glaze. Over low heat, melt the butter in a very small sauté pan. Add the wasabi, soy sauce and honey. Gently whisk until it’s smooth and then remove it from the heat and set it aside.
Prepare the tuna. Cut the fillet into approximately 1-inch strips and season them with salt and pepper on all sides.
Sear the tuna. Coat the bottom of a large (preferably non-stick) skillet with a thin layer of oil and place it over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add the tuna strips and sear all of the sides. (If you don’t hear a sizzling sound when the tuna hits the pan, it’s not hot enough.) Only cook it through a bit, about 1/8 inch, probably about 10-15 seconds per side. Use small tongs to turn them. Remove them from the pan as soon as they’re done and place them on a plate or sheet pan. I would do this in two batches. Once they’re cool enough to handle, slice them into approximately 1-inch cubes.
Assembly. Drizzle the wasabi glaze over them, add a toothpick in each one and serve. (If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, warm it slightly.) To garnish, sprinkle with finely chopped chives.
Crispy Skin Black Sea Bass with Avocado, Tomatillo & Fennel Relish
Ingredients:
Relish:
1 medium fresh tomatillo, husk removed, rinsed well, cut into small dice
1/2 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into small dice
1/2 serrano, seeded and finely diced
1/4 small head fennel, cut into julienne
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced against the grain
1 tablespoon canola oil
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
Touch of red wine vinegar
Honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Crispy Skin Fish:
Canola oil
1 black sea bass, cut into 4- to 6-ounce fillets, skin on, slits cut into skin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
Directions:
For the relish: Combine the tomatillo, avocado, serrano, fennel and onions in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the canola oil, lime juice, vinegar and honey. Season with salt and pepper, and fold in the cilantro.
For the crispy skin fish: Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add some canola oil and heat until hot and smoking.
Meanwhile, sprinkle the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Lay the fish in the hot pan, skin-side down, pressing down with your fish spatula. Add the butter to the pan and let melt. When the edges of the fish look golden brown and crispy, after 3 minutes, flip the fish. Reduce the heat and cook another 2 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the crispy skin with some of the butter.
Remove the fish to a plate. Serve with the relish. Finish with some extra-virgin olive oil. §
