Lobsta Sandwich

OK, 3rd seafood post in a row.  But it's summer and it's HOT and I want light and fresh and that = seafood. So I figured I might as well complete the trifecto.

Lobster rolls are a quintessential part of New England summers.  They have always been, and will always be, one of my top ten favorite foods of all time.  So great that I made appetizer sized rolls for both Christmas celebrations this year.  They're something I identify as home and will always link with my father, who has been known to drive all the way to Maine, just for the day, just to have a real lobster roll.

And while the classic is great, especially when made with homemade mayo and homemade split-top rolls, sometimes I actually prefer a version sometimes referred to as a Connecticut style lobster roll.  Instead of cold lobster salad, here the succulent meat is heated briefly in butter.  To me this speaks even more to the simple pleasure of letting lobster be the main flavor.  I mixed some scallions into mine, although chives would be better and no herbs at all would still be sublime.  One of my favorite breads stands in place of the traditional split top bun.  I know they say you shouldn't mess with the classics, but when its lobster, its virtually impossible to screw it up!

Warm "Connecticut-Style" Lobster Roll

I used a jalapeno cheddar bread from the local Wegman's, but any soft loaf would work well here.  Only 2 things to be sure of: (1) the loaf is not too crusty on the outside and (2) it isn't presliced.  Buying the lobster precooked saves time, allowing this sandwich to come together in 5 minutes or less.

a 1 lb. cooked Maine lobster
1 slice of soft bread, 3 inches thick
2 Tbsp butter
pinch of salt
1 small scallion or a few chives, sliced thin
2-3 slices fresh heirloom tomato

Remove the lobster meat from the shell and coarsely chop.  Preheat a small nonstick pan over medium heat.

Split the slice of bread partially down the middle, leaving about an inch still connected like a hinge, forming a "mouth" to stuff the lobster into.  Spread butter over the exterior of the bread.  Griddle the bread in the nonstick skillet until golden brown on each side.  Remove and set aside.

Add the lobster meat and the rest of the butter to the pan.  Cook just until warm.  Toss with chives or scallion.  Salt to taste.

Assemble the sandwich by layering tomato slices and lobster meat inside the "mouth" of the bread.  Enjoy!

Orange Saffron Scallops

I would venture to say I had never had a true scallop experience until I was in college.  Although not a true scallop virgin, before that I remember them (usually the tiny frozen bay variety) as rubbery, tasteless little orbs and I was definitely not a fan.  (Sorry Mom)

But all of that was about to change.  Thankfully, a veil was lifted from my bivalvian ignorance.  There's a great little restaurant in my husband's hometown that has always been one of our favorites.  As an undergrad, one of these frequent visits involved my companion ordering a simple dish of fried sea scallops. Since I was at that 20-something-and-realizing-how-little-I-know stage I decided to try one when offered and was immediately blown away by the slightly sweet, salty and tender quality.  And my love affair with the scallop started then and there.

Since I was currently immersing myself in all things food related, it wasn't long until I came across the preparation that is the holy grail of scallopdom, searing juicy fresh scallops in butter until they're golden brown on each side and just barely cooked through.  It quickly skyrocketed to my favorite meal of all time and seems to be the one item on any restaurant menu I cannot resist, even when the other options are more creative and something I might not be able to make myself.

Ever since my scallop enlightenment, I've indulged myself in a seared scallop dish about once a month.  Today that treat involved a rich sauce and some buttery rice (which I've had the oddest craving for) with the Spanish flavors of saffron and orange.

Pan Seared Scallops Over Rice with Orange Saffron Sauce

Be sure to ask for dry scallops that have never been frozen.  Other varieties contain too much water and won't sear nicely.  Size does matter, so go for sea scallops over the petite bay version, but it's not necessary to shell out the big bucks for U10s (at only 10 per pound they're huge!) and I find that those cook too unevenly anyway.  A medium to large scallop about an inch thick is your best bet.


I don't recommend a nonstick pan for this particular recipe.  For even browning and the lovely caramelized bits that make the sauce so tasty you really need a stainless steel or anodized aluminum surface.


Serves 2 with some leftover rice.

Sauce:
1 cup chicken stock (homemade is best)
1/3 cup heavy cream
pinch of saffron
zest of one orange
1 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste (be sure to wait until the end to season)

Rice:
2 cups chicken stock
zest and juice of an orange
pinch of saffron
4 Tbsp butter, divided
1 tsp salt
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup mixed fresh or frozen veggies of your choice (I like the sweetness of peas and corn with scallops)
3 Tbsp basil leaves, rolled up together and sliced thin (chiffonade)

Scallops:
18 medium-large scallops (about 3/4 lb.)
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil

To get the sauce started, combine chicken stock, cream, saffron and orange zest in a small saucepan (I use one called a butter warmer because it really only needs to hold about 1 1/2 cups).  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and reduce to about half the original volume while you cook everything else.  When ready, it will coat the back of a metal spoon.

Meanwhile, combine chicken stock, orange juice and zest, saffron, salt and 2 Tbsp of butter to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the rice, stir and reduce the heat to low.  Cover, stirring occasionally to cook according to package instructions.  In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add the veggies.  Add the basil right before serving.

While your rice cooks and sauce reduces, preheat a skillet over medium high heat with the butter and olive oil to get ready to sear your scallops.  Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and check to make sure the abductor muscle (a tough little bit) has been removed.  When the butter starts to sizzle (but not smoke) place your scallops in the pan with one of the flat sides down.  If you've dried the scallops enough and your pan is nice and hot you should hear them sizzle immediately.  Cook until golden on one side (usually 2-3 minutes), then flip and repeat.  When all of the scallops are golden on both sides and opaque remove them from the pan.  (Smaller ones are usually done first so I do this incrementally).

To finish, deglaze the pan with your reduced sauce.  Let it bubble away over medium high heat as you scrape all those caramelized yummy bits off the bottom of the pan.  I skipped this step the first time I made this recipe and what a waste that was!  When the sauce becomes thick and turns more golden brown than it's original peachy color, it's ready.

Serve scallops atop a bed of rice with a drizzle of sauce over them.

Rhody Style Clam Cakes

Why hello there!  Yes it's been a while.  But no time for apologies, no time for explanation, I'm just glad you're still here.

Let me tell you about something incredible.  Something that defines me.  Something like Dell's, coffee milk, Rocky Point, Portuguese sweet bread and clam bakes.  It's a food so dear to Rhode Islander's hearts that eating it brings back visions of lopsided tables sinking into the sand on a Block Island beach with a Jimmy Buffet tribute band playing in the background.  And it's virtually unknown outside of the state!

Behold the clam cake!  More of a fritter than a cake, it's sort of like a hush puppy embedded with salty, sweet & tender clam meat.  Light and fluffy inside, with a crisp exterior and little bits of pleasantly chewy clams.  They're great alongside a bowl of chowder (white of course!  is there any other kind?) or with a squeeze of lemon or dash of hot sauce.  This is the flavor of the Narragansett Bay in summertime.  Perfect for this Independence day weekend!

Clam Cakes

Adapted from the Clam Fritter recipe by Craig Claiborne of the NYTimes as posted on One Perfect Bite

Use a large and flavorful clam for this dish.  Since you're chopping them anyway, you don't need to shell out the extra money for tender cherrystones or littlenecks.  Furthermore, they won't quite deliver the flavor of the larger clams.

approximately 2 dozen fresh quahog or mahogany clams (should yield about 2 1/2 cups clam meat)

2 eggs
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup reserved clam juice
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 Tbsp melted butter
zest of 1/2 a lemon
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

vegetable oil

Rinse the clams under cold water and pile into a stockpot.  Add about 1/2 an inch of water to the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer only until clams have started to open.  Stir to allow more to open and simmer covered briefly until the majority have opened up.  Allow to cool slightly

Remove the clam meat to a cutting board and discard all shells and unopened clams.  Coarsely chop the clam meat and set aside.  Strain the clam juice through a coffee filter to remove the grit.  Some of this will be used later.  Don't throw away the rest!  It's great in chowders and other soups and it freezes beautifully!

Whisk together eggs, lemon juice, 1/3 cup of clam juice, milk, butter, zest and seasonings.  Sift in flour, cornmeal, baking soda and baking powder and stir until just combined.  Add chopped clams and parsley and stir until well distributed.

Fill a heavy cast iron skillet to about a 1/2 inch depth with vegetable oil.  Preheat the oil over medium high heat until it is hot but not smoking.  At the right temperature the handle of a wooden spoon will bubble when held in the oil.  Dollop the batter into the oil about 2 Tbsp at a time, leaving plenty of room in between the cakes.  Fry about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp on the outside and light and fluffy inside.


Drain on paper towels and season with sea salt while still hot.  Serve with lemon slices or hot sauce.

Dinner's Going Green

"Green" - it's no longer just a color, it's a catchphrase for easy environmental fixes. One thing is for sure, we've abused our planet for a long time, selfishly exploiting its resources, and now it's fighting back. We're entering a period of consequences, and unfortunately we are not yet rising to the challenge in a way that will ensure our future. Green has become the word of the moment, but only for baby steps. As much as every little bit counts, baby steps will not take us the miles we need to go before time runs out.

Hot, Flat and Crowded is a fantastic book about the challenges we are facing and the best ways to rise up and seize the American entrepreneurial spirit to reduce the effects of our dependence on fossil fuels. I highly recommend it to everyone, since this is an issue we will all have to face. I hope President Obama has read it as well. If America leads the world towards higher efficiency standards and cleaner fuels, the world will follow, and probably respect us a little more as well.

As for steps we all can take without the government's help, green baby steps are still better than a lack of forward motion. Energy star appliances, SMALL hybrid cars, reusable grocery bags and compact florescent bulbs are tremendously helpful in cutting CO2 admissions when everyone starts to use them. Reducing electricity use, by using power strips that cut power to appliances and chargers when not in use and driving less are a huge help. We have only used the air conditioner in our house a handful of days this summer. A little sweat has paid off with more money in our pockets.

CSAs are a great way for foodies to be a little more green. Community supported agriculture means food travels only a few miles from farm to table, drastically reducing its carbon footprint. Plus local small farms stay solvent, not caving to sell their valuable land to developers of McMansion complexes. And we get the freshest produce possible, so everyone wins. One Straw Farm gives me so much organic produce that I've only had to go grocery shopping once since school let out. Which has meant way less miles on my car and way more money in my pocket.

So here's a green meal with a green sauce that will rock your taste buds and get you going on a greener path to change.

Grilled Stuffed Patty Pan Squash and Fish with Salsa Verde


Grilled Salsa Verde
4-5 tomatillos, husked and washed then halved
2 tomatoes, washed and halved
1 small red onion, halved
1 jalapeno
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat a grill to high heat. Brush the tomatillos, tomatoes, onion and jalapenos with vegetable oil. Grill them all over high heat until tomatillos and tomatoes are carmelized and onion and jalapeno are charred. Chop up the tomatillos, tomatoes and onion. Seed and stem the jalapeno and mince. Toss them all with lime juice and cilantro. Let sit for 15 minutes for flavors to meld. (Leave the grill on low for the squash.

Stuffed Squash
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup white rice
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese

6 medium patty pan squash

Bring chicken stock, lime juice and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and spices and reduce to low. Cover and cook until rice has absorbed the water, and is al dente, about 20 minutes. Toss in about a third of the salsa verde and the rest of the cilantro along with the cheese.

While you're waiting for the rice to cook, slice the tops off of the patty pans and hollow out the insides with a spoon. Brush the squash with olive oil and put top side down on the covered grill to cook and char a bit. After the tops are charred, stuff with rice and put back on the grill, but right side up this time. Cook until tender and evenly charred.


Finishing it off...
2 (1/3 lb.) filets of firm white fish, such as halibut or cod

Brush the fish with vegetable oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until just cooked - about 2 minutes per side for thick filets. Serve over remaining rice with squash on the side and salsa on top.

The Big Melt

It's been a balmy weekend in Bal'more, with the temperature rising from 8 degrees on Friday morning to 68 midday Sunday. As the inches deep ice of two weeks ago melts and sends rivulets of muddy water streaming down to replenish our pond, I entertain dreams that spring is here. I'm sure that in the coming weeks more snow will fall, and once again I'll break out the jackets and boots and once again my thoughts will be occupied with chilis, soups and braises. But right now I'm dreaming of summers off, reading a book in the sun on the deck, napping in hammocks.



My daily attitude towards life is always reflected in my food. Today it was tropical, sun-loving and light. This meal would probably enrage any locovore. But its just what we need to cut through the grey cold of winter.

Sear roasting lends great flavor to the fish, while locking in its moisture so it cooks perfectly. One note - it will smoke. Do this on a day when you can open the windows.

Sear-Roasted Mahi-Mahi with Coconut-Macademia Crust and Tropical Cous Cous

2 tsp coconut oil
8 oz mahi-mahi, skin removed and cut into two 4 oz pieces
2 Tbsp chopped macadamias
2 Tbsp shredded coconut

14.5 oz light coconut milk
1/4 cup orange mango juice
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp Tom Yum paste
1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
1 1/2 cups cous-cous (I used tri-color)
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 large scallions, sliced thin on the bias

1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple
store-bought mango peach salsa

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In an oven-safe skillet, heat oil over high heat, then add fish. Sear until bottom is golden brown, then flip. Sear until that side is golden. Press macadamia nuts onto fish, then press on coconut. Put in the oven to finish cooking. Fish is usually perfectly done when coconut becomes a beautiful deep brown.

Meanwhile, combine coconut milk, juices, tom yum paste and sriracha in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then stir in cous-cous and veggies, then remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir in scallions and fluff with a fork.

Serve fish on top of cous-cous, with fresh pineapple on top and salsa on the side.

The Calamari Paradox

There's nothing more disappointing then ordering calamari in a restaurant and waiting in lip-smacking anticipation as the waiter plops down the platter, only to discover it's been overcooked. It can be like eating strips of truck tires and it's happened to me time and again, in the cheap dives and the high end, white-tablecloth shrouded snobberies. Calamari's tricky. Should you be brave enough to attempt your own golden fried version, check out my recipe here. But I have an even better idea - why not make it fool-proof, add more deep complexity, and celebrate the best briney goodness of the squid.

I've always heard that there are two ways to cook squid, lightning fast or tortoise-slow. I don't think I ever believed that calamari that braised for an hour or more could possibly be edible. So many memories of crisp-fried rubber came back to haunt me. But low and behold, when calamari simmers away, it develops such a silky tenderness, and such rich flavors that I'm not sure I can ever look at a plate of the fried stuff again.

So I challenge you. Make this delicious squid. Serve it over pasta as I have, or with some crusty bread, and then come back and tell me what you think. It will change your world!

Spaghetti with Slow-Cooked Calamari Marinara


2 Tbsp olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, smashed open
14.5 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1 lb. calamari, cut into rings (You can use tentacles, but I didn't)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly ground coarse black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp pesto
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb. spaghetti, cooked to al dente in salted water

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook gently without browning until fragrant. Add tomatoes, wine, calamari, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium-low heat (uncovered) for about an hour. The calamari should be meltingly tender when it's done and the sauce should have reduced and become thicker.

When the pasta is just about cooked, add the pesto, cheese and parsley to the calamari. Then use a spaghetti hook to transfer the pasta into the pot with the calamari. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce so that it absorbs some of the flavors.

Serve steaming hot with an extra flourish of chopped parsley.

A Taste of the Sea

I was hunkered down in front of Anthony Bourdain on Monday night. Although I was exhausted and it was past my bedtime, I just couldn't turn it off. He was meandering around Venice, sampling some of the tastiest tidbits from one of the most seductive places on earth. And then he visited Barono, where he had the most dreamy, magical seafood risotto. It has haunted my dreams and my thoughts ever since. So I just had to make my own (most likely inferior) version of this Venetian classic. It tastes of sea spray and sweet cream, caressed with a hint of garlic and lemon. Although it may not be the real thing, I highly recommend the experience.


Seafood Risotto

Broth:
1 quart really spectacular seafood or fish stock
1 1/2 bottles Irish red beer (I like Sam Adams) - This would also be great with white wine, but reduce the lemon juice
1 bottle clam juice
1 1/2 cups leeks, white parts only, sliced thin
3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 lbs. blue mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a large saucepan, combine all broth ingredients and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, melt butter in another large saucepan over medium heat and toast rice in melted butter until light golden in color, stirring occasionally.

Add a couple of ladle-fulls of broth at a time, stirring occasionally, and letting the rice absorb each addition before adding more. You'll know when it's been absorbed because you can push the rice back with a spoon and no liquid will fill the place it had been. Continue until rice is almost cooked, but a little al dente. After that last addition, leaving just a bit of broth in the first saucepan, add mussels to the pan and cover. Continue stirring and cooking the risotto while the mussels steam.

Remove the steamed mussels from their shells. Add them to the finished risotto, along with the cream. Stir well, then mix in lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately, risotto gets gummy when it sits.


Serves 4 as a substantial entree. Each serving is approximately 500 calories.

The Crisp that Crunches...

It's no secret that we Americans are a fan of the fried onion. Walk into any restaurant in the U.S. and you'll find onion rings, onion straws, or a giant onion blossom. And there's a reason! Sweet, soft and sharp onions contrast perfectly with the crispy salty rich crust that only frying can give you. With all these perks, everyone should have a great fried onion recipe in their repertoire, even if they are just an occasional treat. These steal the show, even though they act as a side to crispy calamari. Using the same marinade, breading and oil for both saves time and makes this completely painless (Plus if you're gone ruin quarts of oil you may as well make the most of it!)

Classic Onion Straws & Crispy Calamari

Marinade
3 cups of low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Blend together to combine. Set aside.

Breading
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
2-3 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika

Mix together in a large plastic bag. Set aside.

Onion Straws


1 extra large sweet onion such as Vidalia
marinade & batter
vegetable oil for frying

Slice the onion to your desired thickness. I prefer about a quarter of an inch thick rounds. Separate rounds into a shallow dish or bowl. Pour over a little more than 1/2 of marinade. Let sit at least 10 minutes.

In a tall stockpot (very important as the oil tends to foam up when these go in), fill with oil until it's about 5 inches deep. Use a deep fry thermometer to preheat oil to 375 degrees F.

Use tongs to pull onions out of marinade, let them drip off and put them into the breading bag. Seal the bag and toss around to coat the onions. Shake off flour by the handful and fry (only one handful at a time) until golden. Let cool on an upside down baking rack on top of a double layer of premium paper towels. Try not to devour them before dinner.

Crispy Calamari


1 lb. frozen calamari rings (I get mine at Trader Joes), thawed and drained
marinade
breading
one lemon, cut into wedges
1/2 cup banana peppers (or less, to taste)

Toss calamari in marinade. Use tongs to let it drip, then toss in remaining breading (add a little more flour if needed). Once oil is up to 375 degrees (no lower or calamari will get rubbery before it is golden!), fry until golden- no longer than 3 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges for squeezing over it and hot peppers to be eaten with it.


Make sure the oil has cooled completely before disposing of it. It's biodegradable, so it won't hurt to dump it in the corner of the yard. And your pipes will probably thank you that it didn't go down the drain.

Sensuous Stir Fry

This stir fry gets a rich nutty flavor from roasted mushrooms. These are so good that L eats them like candy and I have to guard the stash. When you're in the mood for some home-style "take-out" reach for these noodles.


Rice Noodle Fettucine with Shrimp and Roasted Mushrooms


1/2 lb. shitake mushrooms
1 large portobello mushroom cap
3 Tbsp melted butter
salt and pepper

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp sriracha
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp lime juice
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
1 12oz can baby corn nuggets, drained
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 cups medium shrimp
1/2 lb fettucine rice noodles (cellophane noodles), cooked to al dente
2 eggs, scrambled in sesame oil
1 small bunch scallions, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice mushrooms and toss with melted butter and seasonings. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast 20-25 minutes, until very dark brown and almost crispy. You'll be able to smell when they're done - they smell like toasted nuts.

In a preheated saucepan over medium high heat, combine hoisin, oyster sauce, sriracha, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and lime juice. Toss in bell pepper, corn nuggets and water chestnuts and cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat, toss in noodles, egg, scallion and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Cream of the Crop

So I may have a penchant for heavy cream. Is that such a bad thing? OK so maybe it is- but it's so good. These are not dishes you should necessarily have every day. But they are lovely treats, and let's face it - summer produce just longs to be dressed in cream. This was an easy and delicious supper, and is equally delicious hot or cold.

Lemon Cream Bowties with Shrimp


1 tsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion, sliced
3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
zest and juice of 2 lemons
2/3 lb. small shrimp
1 cup frozen sweet peas
kernals of one cob of sweet corn
1 lb. cooked al dente mini farfalle (Barilla now makes Piccolini -tiny- pasta, perfect for pasta salads)
4 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 large scallions, sliced thin
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped fine
2 Tbsp basil chiffonade

Saute onion in olive oil over medium high heat until slightly softened. Add garlic and saute until it starts to brown. Add cream, then lemon zest and juice. Bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes or until thickened. Add shrimp and peas, bring back to a simmer and add corn. Cook until shrimp starts to turn pink. Mix in other ingredients. Cook over medium low heat until pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Serve warm or chilled.





A tiramisu-like custard goes so well with sweet grilled peaches. The perfect summer dessert, this takes next to no time to make. You will only need about a cup and a half of the zabaglione at most - stay tuned to find out what to do with the rest!

Grilled Peach Tiramisu Parfaits



Mascarpone Zabaglione
8 oz mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder
2/3 cup sugar, divided
5 egg yolks
2 Tbsp marsala wine
1 Tbsp dark rum
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp chocolate extract (optional - could sub chocolate liquor)

Combine cheese, cream, milk, salt, espresso powder and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally as mixture heats up. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining sugar and egg in a small bowl until it drops from the whisk in a ribbon. Once cream mixture starts to steam, ladle some into the egg mixture while whisking away furiously. This should temper the eggs. While whisking, add the egg mixture into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer (keep whisking!) until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Bring to room temperature, then chill at least 2 hours.

3 white donut peaches, split down the middle along their length and pit removed (so that they are truely donut shaped)

1 Tbsp Godiva chocolate liquor
1 Tbsp amaretto
1 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp sugar
1/8 cup water
6 crisp Italian ladyfingers

Preheat a grill on high (make sure it was well cleaned with a wire brush!). Brush peaches with melted butter. Grill peaches briefly on each side.

Mix liquors, espresso powder, sugar and water together in a shallow dish. Break each ladyfinger in half. Briefly soak one full (2 halves) ladyfinger in liquor mixture, then place in the bottom of a parfait glass and cover with zabaglione. Add a peach half. Repeat with 2 more layers. (Makes 2)

Sushi - Deconstructed

I love sushi - but I'd rather leave the work to the experts. I'm not sure I could roll it tightly enough or balance the ingredients in the correct proportions. Tonight I had a sushi craving, but no desire to head off to the nearest (not-so-nearby) sushi bar. Luckily, I always have a couple frozen tuna steaks on hand, as well as a stash of pickled ginger and a very ripe avocado.

So we had pacific rolls without the roll: Chewy seasoned brown rice, tender strips of tuna steak - grilled to medium rare, slices of buttery avocado and pungent pink strips of ginger. If you enjoy sushi, this is a meal sent from heaven. Not to mention it's good for you - with the tuna and avocado providing heart healthy fats including omega-3s, the rice providing fiber and nutrients and the ginger's antibiotic properties.

Deconstructed Pacific Roll



2 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ponzu sauce
1 Tbsp wasabi powder
1 Tbsp Japanese rice seasoning I like one with Nori strips, sesame seeds, bonito flakes and salt

1 cup brown, mahogany and wild rice medley

2 tuna steaks, brushed with olive oil and grilled until medium rare (no more than one minute on each side)

1 avocado, split, pitt removed and sliced thin then scooped from the skin

4 oz. pickled ginger

good quality teriyaki sauce such as Soy Vay
ponzu sauce
Japanese rice seasoning



Combine stock, oil, vinegar, ponzu and seasonings in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes, or until rice is cooked through and liquid has been absorbed.

Let the tuna rest for at least 5 minutes after it comes off the grill. Then slice thin, against the grain and arrange each steak atop a bed of rice. Add 1/2 sliced avocado to each, along with a small pile of pickled ginger. Drizzle with teriyaki and/or ponzu and sprinkle with seasoning.

Celebrating the 4th and Coming to Terms with My Own Independence

July 4th has always meant spending time with family. Growing up in New England, in historic Massachusetts, Independence Day was a big deal. My parents would load up the car before dawn and we would camp out on the dewey grass of a friends yard in Bristol, RI, waiting for the longest running 4th of July parade in the country to begin. The festivities would wind down, and we'd hop on our bikes, my little brother strapped into a trailer pulled along behind, and head to Colt State Park for a picnic. After a nap on a blanket in the shade, we would take the sailboat out and anchor it in the harbor to watch the fireworks. I was rocked to sleep by the waves and the sounds of bell buoys clanging in the distance.


















I'm feeling a little homesick lately. Maybe it was the boating and kayaking and being on the water all last week. Maybe it was the brief trip back up there. Maybe it's just the hard knocks lately that have made me realize that, like it or not, I'm a grown up now and no one's going to carry me through life. We were supposed to have family visiting this weekend, but they canceled, and I've been in a funk. The best way I know to pull myself out of that is to spend the day in the kitchen. So I've made some treats that remind me of home, and make me thankful for the diversity and freedom of this great country.












Yes, I'm using apples and cranberries in the middle of the summer. But what else is so quintessentially New England? When I lived in the northeast, I went to a quilting event where we had an appetizer of brie smothered in caramel, pecans and dried cranberries and baked until gooey. We used apples to scoop up the creamy goodness. I came across this beautiful buttery brie at Wegmans today. It made a fabulous nostalgic lunch when melted in a slightly spicy quesadilla with tart apples, salty pecans and sweet cranberries.












New England Inspired Quesadilla

1 tsp butter

2 large jalapeno and herb flour tortillas
1 medium tart cooking apple, such as granny smith or macoun, sliced thin
4 oz medium-ripe buttery brie, sliced thin
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
2 Tbsp toasted salted pecans



Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place tortilla in pan, top with apple slices, then brie, sprinkle cranberries and pecans on top. Sandwich with another tortilla. After cheese has slightly melted and bottom tortilla is crisp and golden brown, invert a plate over the skillet and flip. Slide quesadilla into pan, uncooked side down. Cook until cheese has melted, apples are slightly soft and other tortilla is crisp and brown. Use a pizza cutter to cut into slices.

Serves two.



I grew up not to far from New Bedford, Emeril's hometown. I felt like I was the only one in town who wasn't Portuguese, and I was envious of their big, loud families, massive church feasts and mouthwatering food. Living in the bay state, and a quarter mile away from the ocean state, seafood ruled. One of my favorite dishes was clams with chorizo (cerise up there) in a lovely spicy broth that you mop up with crusty garlic scented bread. Dinner is served...



Spicy Portuguese Clams with Chorizo

1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 large sweet onion, chopped
6 oz. chorizo, diced
2 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 cup sherry
1 bottle clam juice
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I like garlic, basil & oregano seasoned ones or fire roasted)
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
50 littleneck clams, rinsed and kept alive on ice with room to breathe
1/4 cup lightly packed chopped flat leaf parsley

In a stockpot, melt butter with olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until soft, then add chorizo and saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic slices, cook one minute. Deglaze with sherry and allow some of the alcohol to cook off. Add clam juice, tomatoes and seasonings and bring to a boil. Add clams, reduce heat and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until shells open. Toss with parsley. Serve in bowls or deep plates with slices of buttered garlic tuscan bread to sop up the broth.