Throughout New England, the traditional entree of choice for dinner on the Fourth of July was salmon served with a side of peas. This happy pairing capitalized on the region's seasonal bounty — it just so happened that the salmon were running and fresh peas were at their peak at the very moment America paused to celebrate its birthday.
There are still ways to honor this delicious tradition even though the East Coast is bereft of wild salmon these days. Wild salmon from the West Coast is widely available (if pricey), as is sustainably farmed salmon, which is not so pricey. (Check http://www.seafoodwatch.org/ to find good choices.)
My family has always served whole baked fillets slathered with some kind of butter sauce. But this year I'm moving in a new direction: salmon fillets with crispy skin and a Greekish sauce. I was inspired by the crispy-skin salmon that's become a mainstay on restaurant menus in recent years. The contrast of the fish's crisp and flavorful skin with its moist and flavorful flesh is a knockout.
But it never occurred to me to attempt it at home until now. It turns out that it's really quite simple. You just need to make sure the skin is very dry before you cook it. Not only must it be patted down with paper towels, it also has to be scraped repeatedly with a knife to remove any excess moisture. Then all you need is a hot skillet and some oil with a high smoke point. (While the salmon's cooking, you'll have to press it down frequently with a spatula to prevent the skin from buckling and shrinking.)
The tart sauce is a snap. It's a mix — half-yogurt and half-mayonnaise — flavored with lemon, dill, garlic and pepperoncini. (The last-named ingredients are those Tuscan pickled peppers often used to enliven Greek salads with a tiny bit of heat.) The sauce's tartness provides a welcome contrast to the fish's richness.
Truthfully, now that I know this easy and effective technique, it's how I'm always going to cook salmon — even when it's not a holiday.
Salmon with crispy skin and pepperoncini lemon sauce
Start to finish: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced seeded pepperoncini
1 tablespoon liquid from the pepperoncini jar
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt and black pepper
Four 6-ounce salmon fillets with the skin
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil with a high smoke point
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, minced pepperoncini and pepperoncini liquid, lemon juice, garlic and dill; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill.
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Pat the fish skin very dry. Scrape the skin with a large knife, at a perpendicular angle, 8 to 10 times to remove any excess moisture, wiping the knife clean each time. In a large ovenproof skillet heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium and add the salmon fillets, skin side down. Immediately press down evenly on the top of each fillet to keep the skin from buckling up. Cook the salmon, pressing down frequently, for 4 minutes or until you can see that the skin is getting crispy and the flesh has lightened about 1/3 — one-half of the way up the side. Season the flesh with salt and pepper, transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for another 4 to 6 minutes or until the salmon is cooked to the desired degree of doneness.
Transfer to plates, skin side up, and top each portion with some of the sauce.
Nutritional information: 446 calories; 251 calories from fat; 28 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 128 mg cholesterol; 349 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 45 g protein.
Sara Moulton is host of public television's "Sara's Weeknight Meals." She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including "Cooking Live." Her latest cookbook is "HomeCooking 101."
Perfectly grilled tuna steaks should combine a hot, smoky, charred exterior with a cool, rare center. For a home cook, this ideal can be an elusive goal.
For grilled tuna steaks with an intense smoky char and a tender interior, we started with a hot grill. We moistened the tuna steaks' flesh with a vinaigrette to promote browning and allow the oil to penetrate the meat of the tuna steaks. And instead of using sugar in our vinaigrette, we used honey.
Both promote browning, but honey does it faster, which was important with the quick cooking times for tuna on the grill. It's easy to add complementary flavors to this dish by mixing up the seasoning in the vinaigrette.
GRILLED TUNA STEAKS WITH VINAIGRETTE
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 25 minutes
We prefer our tuna served rare or medium-rare. If you like your tuna cooked medium, observe the timing for medium-rare, then tent the steaks with foil for 5 minutes before serving.
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
6 (8-ounce) tuna steaks, 1 inch thick
DIRECTIONS:
For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, thyme, mustard, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper together in large bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture until lightly thickened and emulsified. Measure out 3/4 cup vinaigrette and set aside for cooking tuna. Reserve remaining vinaigrette for serving.
Clean cooking grate, then repeatedly brush grate with well-oiled paper towels until grate is black and glossy, 5 to 10 times.
Pat tuna dry with paper towels. Generously brush both sides of tuna with vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Place tuna on grill (on hotter side if using charcoal) and cook (covered if using gas) until grill marks form and bottom surface is opaque, 1 to 3 minutes.
Flip tuna and cook until opaque at perimeter and translucent red at center when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 110 F (for rare), about 1 1/2 minutes, or until opaque at perimeter and reddish pink at center when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 125 F (for medium-rare), about 3 minutes. Serve, passing reserved vinaigrette.
Nutrition information per serving: 560 calories; 333 calories from fat; 37 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 81 mg cholesterol; 398 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 50 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Grilled Tuna Steaks in "Master of the Grill ."
We love a simple cheese quesadilla, but add a filling of succulent shrimp spiked with tequila and lime zest and you turn Mexico's griddled cheese sandwich into a party.
To make them substantial enough for a meal, we started with 10-inch flour tortillas. To make four at once, we turned to the oven. By placing the quesadillas on an oiled baking sheet and then brushing their tops with oil, we were able to brown and crisp them on both sides without having to cook each individually.
To keep the quesadillas from getting soggy while ensuring juicy shrimp, we par-cooked the shrimp slightly on the stovetop with aromatics and tequila; this gave them a head start while evaporating most of the liquid. It was essential to cut the shrimp in half so that they released most of their moisture into the pan.
Cilantro, scallion greens, and lime zest provided welcome freshness, and Monterey Jack cheese offered melty richness.
TEQUILA-LIME SHRIMP QUESADILLAS
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
1 1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp (31 to 40 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/3 cup tequila
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with 1 tablespoon oil. Toss Monterey Jack with cilantro and scallion greens.
Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add scallion whites, garlic, chipotle, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add tequila and simmer until tequila has evaporated and pan is dry, about 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until cooked through and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl, stir in zest, and let cool for 5 minutes; drain well.
Lay tortillas on counter. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture over half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2 inch border around edge. Arrange shrimp on top in single layer, then sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Fold other half of each tortilla over top and press firmly to compact.
Arrange quesadillas in single layer on prepared sheet with rounded edges facing center of sheet. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until quesadillas begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Flip quesadillas over and press gently with spatula to compact. Continue to bake until crisp and golden brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Let quesadillas cool on wire rack for 5 minutes, then slice each into 4 wedges and serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 789 calories; 375 calories from fat; 42 g fat (18 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 290 mg cholesterol; 2145 mg sodium; 41 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 50 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Shrimp Quesadillas in "New Essentials ."
It's summertime and my thoughts turn to lobster more than any other time of year.
When eating lobster from the shell, I find it virtually impossible not to create a shambles at the table. For that reason, I find it much safer to enjoy lobster on the deck, as I get in far less trouble with the lovely Lois. I inevitably spray lobster juice as I crack lobster shells and as I savor the precious meat dipped in sweet clarified butter, I just as inevitably drip it everywhere. There's a reason why restaurants provide bibs to adults with boiled lobster dinners.
Then, there is one of life's most pleasing food pairings of boiled lobster with the all-too-briefly-available New England sweet corn on the cob. There's something so satisfyingly basic about eating boiled lobster and corn on the cob as you have little choice but to dig in with both hands with a minimum use of utensils. The table, my clothes (I refuse to wear a bib) and close environs have the potential of becoming collateral damage, as I happily gorge myself on two of the most inelegant, but pleasurable foods on this planet.
I have to admit to a mixed relationship with the species, however. I spent close to 15 years as a chef on Cape Cod, during which I killed a lot of lobsters. I've always felt there would have to be a resultant day of reckoning. A symptom of my restaurant PTSD is I've had this recurring nightmare of being sent down to lobster hell. In this nightmare, I'm forced to run a gauntlet of lobsters snapping and pinching at me as I pass. At the end of the gauntlet is a cauldron of boiling water into which I'm pitched by my ghosts of slaughtered lobsters' past. Before they yank me out of the boiling cauldron, they dance around the cauldron singing a variation of the boys' chant in "Lord of the Flies." Their chorus is, "Kill the chef, boil `em up, do it again!" It being lobster hell, this nightmare repeats for eternity.
My most memorable restaurant experience with lobster was on an evening in the 1980s when I was the chef/owner of my family's restaurant, The Captain Linnell House in Orleans on Cape Cod. It was on a Saturday evening in the latter part of September, when business was less predictable, and we had fewer staff than during the summer months. The evening in question, following Murphy's Law, turned out to be considerably busier than expected. My sous chef, Gene the Dream, and I were cooking to order some involved dishes requiring all our concentration for what turned out to be 170 customers that evening.
We were in the middle of one of the busiest times of the evening and just on the cusp of being "in the weeds" (a restaurant term meaning being overwhelmed, but before your hair catches fire). It was at that point we got an order from a table of nine celebrating the birthday of the future lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, Thomas P. "Tom" O'Neill III. His father, the legendary Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr., was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives at the time and was celebrating his son's birthday with him.
Speaker O'Neill decided to order a lobster salad that evening. His choice presented me with a conundrum of sorts. Lobster salad wasn't on my menu, I didn't have cooked lobster meat in my cooler, and I was distracted by my hair beginning to catch fire. I was not, however, comfortable with denying a dinner order from the man third in line to the presidency of the United States, who was celebrating the birthday of his son in my restaurant.
Somehow, I cooked the lobster, chilled it in an ice bath, removed the meat from the shell and put together the best lobster salad I could under the circumstances, while still manning my station for the continuing onslaught of customer orders. I'm not describing this scene to boast about my abilities as a chef so many years ago. I'm describing circumstances, which are not atypical in restaurant kitchens everywhere. So many chefs have faced similar situations and somehow found an extra gear to overcome the adversity of the moment. It comes with the territory. This story just happens to involve a former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Memorable doesn't fully describe the experience still seared into my brain some 30-plus years later.
My family sold the restaurant 31 years ago to the Conways, who still own it following my family's 10-year stewardship. In writing this article, I became curious to see what the menu looked like after all these years. As I read the online menu, there were a few preparations described exactly as ones from my menus 31 years ago. I'm sure each of those preparations has evolved over the years, just as my cooking style has evolved. One of those dishes was bourbon lobster bisque. I've included the recipe, as I prepared it recently.
BOURBON LOBSTER BISQUE
I prepared this recipe specifically for extending our lobster experience after having bought the store's limit of four 1 1/2-pound lobsters on sale at a local market. We tend to be greedy with our lobsters and we kept them all to ourselves; however, this recipe can serve four. My plan was for lobsters three ways: boiled, on a roll and as bisque. We each had one of the boiled lobsters for dinner, after which I removed the meat from the remaining two lobsters, reserving all the shells for a stock. After making four lobster rolls for another meal, I reserved half of a tail from one of the lobsters to add to the bisque. This recipe can be done in advance up until adding the cr me fraiche and reserved lobster meat before serving. Served with bagels, cream cheese with smoked salmon and a glass of white Burgundy makes for a decadent summer brunch.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
Enough lobster shells to make more than 6 cups of concentrated lobster stock
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 celery stalk, chopped (about cup)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup jasmine rice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 8-ounce container cr me fraiche
Finely chopped reserved lobster meat
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped chives for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Make the lobster stock by covering the lobster shells by about 1 inch with water in a large stock pot. Bring the stock to the boil over medium high heat. Turn the stock down to simmer and simmer for about an hour. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve, discard the shells and reduce the stock over high heat until something over 6 cups remain.
Melt butter in a medium large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally to avoid browning until very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes until brick red. Add bourbon and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, herbs, cayenne, 6 cups of the lobster stock and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the rice is very soft, about 25 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and remove and discard the bay leaf.
When the soup is cool enough, puree the soup until smooth (very small grains of rice may remain).
Reheat the soup after adding the container of cr me fraiche and reserved lobster meat. If necessary, add additional stock until the bisque achieves proper consistency. Add salt, pepper and additional lemon juice (if necessary) to taste. Garnish with fresh chives and serve hot.
A surfside treat, California fish tacos feature battered and fried crispy white fish and sprightly pickled vegetables. When done right, they are light and fresh, with a lively mix of textures and flavors.
This recipe may look involved, but the components come together quickly, so invite your friends to help. The frying uses a mere 3/4-inch layer of oil (no splattering vats).
We made an ultrathin batter by adding two sources of carbonation, beer and baking powder; they provided lift and their slight acidity limited gluten development. Frying in batches helped maintain the oil's temperature.
For toppings, we quick-pickled onion and jalape os and then used the brine to brighten shredded cabbage. Slice fish on the bias if your fillets are not 4 inches wide. Serve with green salsa if desired.
CALIFORNIA-STYLE FISH TACOS
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
Pickled onion and cabbage:
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
3 cups shredded green cabbage
Tacos:
2 pounds skinless white fish fillets, such as cod,
haddock, or halibut
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup beer
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup crema
DIRECTIONS:
For the pickled onion and cabbage: Combine onion and jalape os in medium bowl. Bring vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Pour vinegar mixture over onion mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Transfer 1/4 cup pickling liquid to second medium bowl, add cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to combine.
For the tacos: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 F. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut fish crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips. Pat dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth. Add fish and toss to coat evenly.
Add oil to large Dutch oven until 3?4 inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 F.
Remove 5 or 6 pieces of fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 F and 350 F. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together and turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.
Using slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 F and repeat with remaining fish. Serve fish and pickled onions and cabbage with tortillas, cilantro, and crema.
Nutrition information per serving: 699 calories; 307 calories from fat; 35 g fat ( 5 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 530 mg sodium; 59 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 33 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like California-Style Fish Tacos in "New Essentials ."
Shrimp can turn from moist and juicy to rubbery and dry in the blink of an eye over the heat of a grill.
While grilling shrimp in their shells can shield them from the coals' scorching heat, any seasonings you add are stripped off along with the shells when it's time to eat. For juicy, boldly seasoned shrimp we decided to go with peeled shrimp and find a way to prevent them from drying out.
We seasoned the shrimp with salt, pepper, and sugar (to encourage browning) and set them over the hot side of a half-grill fire. This worked well with jumbo shrimp, but smaller shrimp overcooked before charring.
However, since jumbo shrimp cost as much as $25 per pound, we wanted a less expensive solution, so we created faux jumbo shrimp by cramming a skewer with several normal-size shrimp pressed tightly together.
The final step was to take the shrimp off the fire before they were completely cooked and finish cooking them in a heated sauce waiting on the cooler side of the grill; this final simmer infused them with bold flavor. The flavors of the sauce can easily be changed to taste; one variation is included here.
Grilled shrimp with spicy lemon-garlic sauce
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 45 minutes
To fit all the shrimp on the cooking grate at once, you will need three 14-inch metal skewers. Serve with grilled bread.
INGREDIENTS:
Lemon-garlic sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (10-inch) disposable aluminum pie pan
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
Shrimp:
1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS:
For the lemon-garlic sauce, combine butter, lemon juice, garlic, pepper flakes, and salt in disposable pan.
For the shrimp, pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp tightly onto three 14-inch metal skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails. Brush shrimp with oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 side of each skewer evenly with sugar.
For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium-low.
Clean cooking grate, then repeatedly brush grate with well-oiled paper towels until black and glossy, 5 to 10 times. Place disposable pan with sauce ingredients on hotter side of grill and cook until hot, 1 to 3 minutes; slide pan to cooler side of grill.
Place shrimp skewers, sugared side down, on hotter side of grill; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewers if they have separated. Cook shrimp until lightly charred on first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip skewers and cook until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
Using potholder, carefully lift each skewer from grill and use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers and into pan with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine. Slide pan to hotter side of grill and cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 30 seconds.
Stir in parsley. Transfer shrimp to platter and serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition information per serving: 243 calories; 131 calories from fat; 15 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 235 mg cholesterol; 1258 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 24 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Grilled Shrimp with Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce in "Master Of The Grill ."
We wanted to bring home a true New England-style lobster roll, complete with tender meat coated in a light dressing and tucked into a buttery toasted bun, but first we had to deal with the lobster.
To make things easier, we sedated the lobster by placing it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Boiling was the easiest way to cook it, and removing it from the water when the tail registered 175 F ensured it was perfectly tender.
For the lobster roll, we adhered mostly to tradition, tossing our lobster with just a bit of mayonnaise and adding a hint of crunch with lettuce leaves and a small amount of minced celery. Onion and shallot were overpowering, but minced chives offered bright herb flavor.
Lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne provided a nice counterpoint to the rich lobster and mayo.
New England lobster roll
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
To boil lobster:
4 (1 1/4-pound) live lobsters (yields 1 pound of meat)
1/3 cup salt
Lobster roll filling:
1 pound lobster meat, tail meat cut into 1/2-inch pieces and claw meat cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
Salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 New England-style hot dog buns
6 leaves Boston lettuce
DIRECTIONS:
Place lobsters in large bowl and freeze for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 2 gallons water to boil in large pot over high heat. To cook four lobsters at once, you will need a pot with a capacity of at least 3 gallons. If your pot is smaller, boil the lobsters in batches. Start timing the lobsters from the moment they go into the pot.
Add lobsters and salt to pot, arranging with tongs so that all lobsters are submerged. Cover pot, leaving lid slightly ajar, and adjust heat to maintain gentle boil. Cook for 12 minutes, until thickest part of tail registers 175 F (insert thermometer into underside of tail to take temperature). If temperature registers lower than 175 F, return lobster to pot for 2 minutes, until tail registers 175 F, using tongs to transfer lobster in and out of pot.
Transfer lobsters to rimmed baking sheet and set aside until cool enough to remove meat, about 10 minutes. Cut tail meat into 1/2-inch pieces and claw meat into 1-inch pieces. (Lobster meat can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)
Whisk mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, chives, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cayenne together in large bowl. Add lobster and gently toss to combine.
Place 12-inch nonstick skillet over low heat. Butter both sides of hot dog buns and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place buns in skillet, with 1 buttered side down; increase heat to medium-low; and cook until crisp and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook second side until crisp and brown, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer buns to large platter. Line each bun with lettuce leaf. Spoon lobster salad into buns and serve immediately.
Nutrition information per serving: 265 calories; 83 calories from fat; 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 824 mg sodium; 27 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 20 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Best New England Lobster Rolls in "America's Test Kitchen Best Summer Recipes ."
Grilled fish is the official dish of summer around our house. There is nothing I love to eat more in warm weather than a piece of fresh seasonal fish cooked on the grill - the slightly sweet flesh offset by a tiny bit of char.
You can use some fish from your freezer stash in a pinch, but ask at the fish counter what is seasonal and freshest, and you won't regret the few extra dollars you'll pay. I used Alaskan halibut for today's recipe, but any firm white-fleshed fish will work great. (Skip the flaky thin fish like Dover sole for indoor cooking, or use a special fine-meshed metal grate.)
Halibut is mild, tender and sweet, and it's a fantastic lean source of protein. A 4-ounce serving has 24 grams of protein, a little over 2 grams of fat, and offers a nice showing of B vitamins and minerals, all for 120 calories.
My go-to strategy for grilling mild white fish is to keep it super simple on the actual grill, and then top it with a quick sauce made from a few ingredients. Pat the fish dry gently, and toss on the grill with just a little salt, pepper and olive oil.
Once the fish is cooked, I top it straight from the grill with the sauce. While the fish is cooking, whip up a sauce with a little acid (like lemon or vinegar), aromatics (like minced garlic, shallot or green onion), herbs, and a tiny touch of fat (like olive oil or butter). Pouring it on while the fish is hot makes the simple flavors come alive like Hugh Jackman playing P.T. Barnum.
Grilled halibut with butter caper herb sauce is an excellent starting point for mastering this easy fish-grilling blueprint that you'll use both on weekends and busy weeknight meals. In under 20 minutes, you can have summer on the plate.
Grilled halibut with butter caper herb sauce
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 pounds of fresh Alaskan halibut fillet (or other firm white-flesh fish), checked for bones
1/2 lemon, for squeezing
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and pepper
Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons capers, plus a little of the juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
A handful of chopped tender herbs, like basil, parsley, or cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium high. Scrub the grill grates with a wire brush or tongs and ball of foil to clean off burnt food debris, and lightly oil the grates. Squeeze a little lemon juice on the halibut and let it sit a few minutes before blotting it dry gently with a paper towel.
Season the fish with a little salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over both sides of the fish, and use your fingers to coat the whole fillet lightly with oil. Once the grill is hot, place the fish flesh side down on the grill. Allow to cook about 5-6 minutes on the first side. Use a metal spatula to flip the fish to cook the second side, until cooked through but not dry, about 3-4 more minutes. (To help keep the fish from sticking, don't flip it too soon, and flip the fish with a purposeful, quick motion.)
Meanwhile, heat the butter and garlic in a small sauce pan on the stove at medium heat until the garlic is aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the capers with a little caper liquid and the lemon juice and whisk to combine. Remove from heat, stir the herbs into the sauce and then pour over the fish just as it comes off the grill. Serve.
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Nutrition information per serving: 198 calories; 76 calories from fat; 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 104 mg cholesterol; 625 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 28 g protein.
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Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy."
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Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
The health benefits of eating fish two or three times a week are well-documented. So, as a mom of four kiddos, I'm always looking for creative ways to add fish into our weekly menu.
I love Alaskan cod especially this time of year because it's in season, it's loaded with omegas and lean protein, and my girls all love the mild flavor. But any mild white fish will work for today's recipe, Cod with Pomegranate and Zucchini en Papillote. My kids love the pretty color play between the bright green lime and rich-ruby pomegranate, while I love the fact that I can make a fantastic dinner that isn't loaded down with extra fat or empty calories.
I use the papillote method, which is simply loading up a sheet of parchment with fish, aromatics and some quick-cooking veggies and sealing them up into a pouch and baking. Cooking in the cozy, moist heat of the parchment pouch means the fish stays tender as it baths gently in the steam created by the vegetables and a tiny splash of wine, like a flavorful spa.
The result is fish that is almost impossible to overcook, giving a busy weeknight cook a forgiving window of time for serving dinner. Cooking in a papillote also means you can cook with no additional fat, making fish-en-papillote a super strategy for anyone watching their caloric intake.
If you feel like living it up a little, add a drizzle of olive oil or a tiny pat of butter — you'll be amazed by how even a tiny bit of fat can make the rest of the ingredients sing. Make a large papillote to eat family-style, or make smaller, individual papillotes for a dinner party — either way, you'll feel like dinner is a tiny bit special.
Cod with pomegranate and zucchini en papillote
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds cod, or other mild white fish, cut into 4 portions, or kept in one large portion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini, about two small zucchini
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
salt and pepper
Special equipment: parchment paper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly salt and pepper the cod fillet and set aside. Cut a sheet of parchment paper that is a couple of inches longer than the length of the fish, and a little more than twice the width. Use one large piece of parchment if fillet is whole; or four individual pieces of parchment if you've cut the fish into individual portions. Place the sliced shallots along the middle of the parchment paper, and layer the zucchini on top of the shallots - this is the bed where you'll place the cod. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Place the fish on top of the zucchini. Top the fish with the sliced lime, white wine, pomegranate arils, and a little salt and pepper. Close the parchment paper by folding the paper in half over the fish. Create a closed pouch by starting at one corner, and folding the paper into small triangles, tightly pinching them closed as you go around the edges. The result will be a semi-circle shaped sealed pouch.
Place the pouch on a baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or a few minutes less if fish is thin. Remove from the oven, carefully cut open the pouch and serve.
Chef's note: Recipe can also be made in a baking dish: simply layer, cover and bake.
Nutrition information per serving: 201 calories; 15 calories from fat; 2 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 73 mg cholesterol; 687 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 33 g protein.
Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy." Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
From taco trucks to Mexican restaurants, tacos are just about everywhere these days. And why not? A taco is exactly as handy, versatile and filling as a sandwich, and crunchy to boot. Lots of folks dream of making these fried corn tortillas at home, but some pull up short at the prospect of having to deep-fry them. The solution? Don't fry them. Baking will bring tacos to crispy perfection and allow you to shape them into shells in the process.
That said, I discovered while developing this recipe for crispy shrimp tacos with cole slaw and chipotle cream that not all corn tortillas are created equal. Some are thick-ish and some are thin-ish. Some are drier and some are moister. Given that there's no way of predicting these qualities in the brands you buy at the store, you just need to pay attention to the tortillas as they bake and adjust accordingly. Some brands will require more time than others to become crispy.
Before being baked, the tortillas need to be steamed a bit so they don't crack when you shape them. Then you brush them very lightly on both sides with oil (or with vegetable oil spray, if you prefer), drape them directly over a bar of the oven rack and bake them until crispy. (See recipe for details.)
I recommend baking them in two batches of four tortillas each because when you open the oven to shape them, the oven temperature drops. If you're shaping all eight at once, the temperature will drop a lot and the tortillas will take forever to crisp.
The shells can be made ahead and parked in a bowl at room temperature. Then you can turn to the preparation of whichever fillings you want. (Here I propose coleslaw, grilled shrimp and chipotle cream.) When the dinner bell chimes, just set out all the fixings and let people dig in for themselves.
Crispy shrimp tacos with cole slaw and chipotle cream
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
Eight 6-inch corn tortillas
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing the tortillas
1/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat if you prefer)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce from the can
1 tablespoon plus 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1 cup thin strips red bell pepper (about 1-inch long)
1 pound medium shrimp (31/35), peeled and deveined
1 firm ripe avocado, cut into cubes
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Wrap 4 tortillas in foil and heat them on the middle shelf of the oven until they are pliable, about 5 minutes (or wrap them in a moist towel and microwave them for 30 seconds). Remove them from the foil, brush them lightly on both sides with the oil and carefully (so as not to burn yourself) drape each tortilla over a metal bar on the middle rack of the oven so that the sides of the tortillas are hanging down and bake them for 5 minutes. Open the oven, and using tongs, lift up the tortillas, spread them open a bit by pulling the two sides apart (they will still be pliable), and bake them on the rack for another 3 to 5 minutes or until they are crispy all over. Prep and bake the remaining 4 tortillas following the same procedure.
Meanwhile in a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, chipotle, adobo sauce and 1 teaspoon of the lime juice and stir well. Add salt to taste and about 1 tablespoon water or enough to make the sauce pourable.
In a medium bowl combine the cabbage, carrots, red pepper, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and salt to taste and toss well.
Preheat the grill to medium. In a medium bowl toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and salt. Thread the shrimp onto skewers (preferably double skewers) and grill them, turning them once for 2 to 3 minutes total or until just cooked through. Transfer to a serving bowl.
To serve: Put all of the components of the tacos — the shrimp, coleslaw, avocado, chipotle cream and cilantro — onto a serving platter and let your guests build their own tacos.
Nutrition information per serving: 486 calories; 249 calories from fat; 28 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 150 mg cholesterol; 861 mg sodium; 39 g carbohydrate; 11 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 21 g protein.
Sara Moulton is host of public television's "Sara's Weeknight Meals." She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including "Cooking Live." Her latest cookbook is "HomeCooking 101."
I love a deep-fried, puffy-battered fish sandwich, with a tempura-like coating, but I'm not doing that at home. That's for an indulgent summer seafood shack lunch, or if you're lucky enough to find yourself in a British pub.
But a great, pan-fried piece of fish can be yours with much less work, and significantly less oil. One time to do it, and stat, is when you have Alaskan halibut. It's worth seeking out — sweet and delicate, with white, firm, flaky flesh. It keeps its shape nicely even as you flip it in the pan. One-quarter inch of oil will get you a great crust, and when that crispy fish is nestled in a roll with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce, you will feel like summer has returned.
You could certainly just go out and buy some prepared tartar sauce if you're in a hurry, but a homemade tartar sauce is a bit of a revelation, and very simple to make. If you don't have cornichons, you can substitute jarred relish.
Halibut fried fish sandwich with lemon basil tartar sauce
Makes 4 sandwiches
Start to finish: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Lemon basil tartar sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons minced cornichons (baby pickles)
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed, then minced
2 teaspoons coarse Dijon or Creole mustard
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Halibut fried fish sandwiches:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup panko bread crumbs
4 (6 -ounce) pieces halibut
vegetable oil for pan frying (about cup)
4 potato rolls
Several pieces of leaf or romaine lettuce, torn to fit the rolls
1 ripe tomato, sliced
Lemon wedges for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to broil.
Make the Tartar Sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cornichons, scallions, capers, mustard, basil, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Have all of the sandwich rolls and toppings ready to go so that when the fish is cooked, you can assemble the sandwiches right away.
In a shallow wide bowl, mix the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. In another shallow wide bowl, beat the egg with the milk and the hot sauce. Place the panko bread crumbs in a third shallow wide bowl.
Heat enough oil to come up 1/4-inch high in a large skillet over medium high heat. While the oil is heating, dredge each piece of fish first in the flour, shaking off any excess, then in the milk mixture, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, and then finally dredge the fish in the bread crumbs. Fry the fish in the oil for about 4 minutes on each side until the fish is golden brown and cooked through. Remove it with a slotted spatula and place on a paper towel-lined plate or surface to drain for a minute.
While the fish is cooking, broil the buns cut side up for just a minute until lightly browned. Place a piece of cooked fish on the bottom half of each roll, and top with a spoonful of the tartar sauce. Top with the lettuce and tomato, and then with the second half of the roll. Serve immediately, with the lemon wedges.
Nutrition information per serving of Lemon Basil Tartar Sauce (about 2 tablespoons): Nutrition information per serving: 98 calories; 93 calories from fat; 10 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 6 mg cholesterol; 319 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 0 g protein.
Nutrition information per serving of Halibut Fried Fish Sandwiches: 611 calories; 168 calories from fat; 19 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 139 mg cholesterol; 686 mg sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 45 g protein.
Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, "Dinner Solved!" and "The Mom 100 Cookbook." She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/about-katie-workman
Fresh shellfish is one of the hallmarks of a good summer vacation, and it is best eaten barefoot with a sea breeze and chilled rose. But life is not always a beach and we are, regrettably, not always on vacation. Luckily, with a few staycation-ready recipes stored away, you can easily transport yourself and all of your friends to the shores of Cape Cod.
This Grilled White Pizza with Cockles, Lemon and Kale, with a rich creamy sauce reminiscent of New England clam chowder, is a refreshing change of pace from a summer full of hamburgers and grilled vegetables. Bright lemon zest pops against the season's sweetest clams, while lightly charred pizza dough offers a crunchy smokiness that no oyster cracker would dare to challenge.
Culinary Institute of America chef Scott Swartz says that grilling pizza, especially this one, is great for summertime parties, because each component can be made ahead.
He suggests, "Grill one side of the pizza dough, then remove it, cooked-side up, to a lightly oiled tray. Put your toppings on the cooked side and then, just before serving, return to the grill, cover, and let the dough crisp and the toppings warm through. This way, the dough can be grilled way ahead of time and quickly finished when ready to eat."
Though the flavors of this pizza are rich and bold, there's still leaves plenty of room for personalization. Add familiar chowder ingredients like bacon or sweet summer corn for an ode to the classic. Or try roasted poblanos, caramelized fennel, or spicy chorizo for something new and exciting.
And if this feels a little heavy on the summer bod, you can make the sauce without the cream. Since you'll still need it to be saucy, we would add a bit more wine and a little squeeze of lemon juice. Remember, though, that the whole thing is topped with kale, which basically makes it a salad, right?
Speaking of kale, we like it here because it's a mild green with a texture that holds up well to cooking. If it's not for you, you can use spinach (just skip the pre-cooking step), Swiss chard, or even flavorful mustard greens. This would also be equally delicious with blanched asparagus, thinly sliced broccoli, or even shaved cabbage.
Cockles are a nice choice for this pizza, since they are small and tender, but fresh and local should take precedence. Choose whatever clam variety is of the best quality where you are, and make sure to keep them nice and cold while you prepare the other ingredients.
Most store-bought clams should be relatively clean and free of sand, but you'll want to be extra sure, since in most coastal regions, serving gritty clams is punishable by a fine of one case of cold beer. Refrigerate your clams in a bowl of salted water for at least a few hours for peace of mind. Discard any clams with broken or damaged shells, or any open clams that do not close when gently tapped.
This pizza makes enough a family dinner, with a nice summer salad on the side. The recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled for a party, and the dough can be shaped into rectangles for easy appetizer portions, or even into small individual rounds_whatever floats your boat. It's still summer, so you can do what you want. Save the rules for September.
Grilled white pizza with cockles, lemon and kale
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups torn kale leaves, from about bunch
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound, 8 ounces of cockles, little necks, or other small, seasonal clam, rinsed and soaked, if needed
2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water, to make a slurry
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound pizza dough, thawed if frozen
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 teaspoon lemon zest (see note)
Lemon wedges, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, prepare an ice water bath and set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Use tongs or a large slotted spoon to transfer the kale to the ice water bath to cool. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large lidded saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring constantly, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the wine, cream, and clams, and stir to coat. Cover and cook until the clamshells have opened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer clams to a bowl.
Return the pan to low heat and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Add the cornstarch slurry, mixing constantly to incorporate. Return to a simmer and add the cheese and pepper. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, straining through a mesh sieve if desired, and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, remove the clam meat from the shells and roughly chop (leave some clams in the shell for garnish, if you like). Discard shells.
To make the pizza, prepare a grill for medium-heat cooking. Roll or stretch the pizza dough into a 14-inch round. Lightly brush one side with about half of the canola oil, then place oil-side down on the grill. Cook, covered, until the dough is browned and crisp on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully transfer the dough, cooked-side down, onto a large baking sheet. Brush the top with the remaining canola oil, then flip. Spread the cooked side with a thin layer of cream sauce (you may not use it all), leaving a 2-inch border around the edge of the dough. Top with chopped clams, kale, and chili flakes and cook until crisp and golden brown and toppings are warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest, then slice and serve with lemon wedges.
Chef's note: For a sweet and savory variation, use chopped candied lemon peel in place of fresh zest. It can be found in most specialty markets.
Nutrition information per serving: 570 calories; 250 calories from fat; 28 g fat (9 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 49 mg cholesterol; 465 mg sodium; 59 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 25 g protein.
Cooked hard-shell clams are an unbeatable two-for-the price-of-one delight. You get the clams themselves and the clam liquid they give off as they cook, which creates an instant sauce with astonishing depth of flavor. And it's simple. You just combine the clams with some liquid (and aromatics, if you want — here I've added scallions, garlic and tomatoes), cover them and let them steam until the shells open.
The only tricky part is that all clams don't cook at the same pace. The first specimen might open after just 5 minutes while the last one luxuriates for three times as long. If you allow that first clam to hang out until the last clam opens, it'll end up rubbery. Accordingly, it takes a tough cook to make a tender clam. Check the steaming clams frequently and pull each one out of the pot the second its shell opens.
This very same recipe also works using a different kind of bivalve mollusk, namely mussels. You'll need about 4 pounds of these critters. Method-wise, proceed as with the clams, removing each mussel as it opens.
Clam or mussel, this sea creature must be well-cleaned before it's steamed. Start by filling a large bowl with cold water. Add the mollusks and swirl them around, then lift them out of the bowl. Dump out the sand on the bottom of the bowl, refill the bowl with clean water and repeat the procedure until the bathed clams leave no sand.
Canadian bacon adds some meat and smoke to the finished dish. (Also, it's leaner than traditional bacon.) Of course, the pescatarians among us are welcome to leave out the bacon. Likewise, folks who aren't into alcohol can substitute water for the wine. Finally, those who dislike basil can use cilantro instead.
But please don't skip the garlic bread. It's easy to make and key to the recipe. And there's no better way to sop up all that luscious clam broth.
Clam tomato and bacon stew with grilled garlic bread
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped Canadian bacon
1 cup sliced white part of scallions and 1/2 cup sliced green part of scallions
1 cup medium chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups medium chopped ripe tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
4 dozen cherrystone clams, cleaned well
1/2 cup packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 recipe Grilled Garlic Bread (recipe below)
DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the clams, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the bacon, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon starts to brown around the edges. Add the sliced white part of scallions and the bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and the clams, cover the pot and steam, transferring the clams as they open to a bowl. Discard any clams that do not open.
Remove all the clams from their shells and return them to the pot with the tomato mixture. Reheat over medium-low heat until just hot. Stir in the basil and scallion greens.
To serve: Put 2 pieces of the grilled bread into each of 6 soup plates and spoon one-sixth of the clam mixture on top.
Grilled garlic bread
6 (1/2-inch thick) slices country bread
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing the bread
1 garlic clove, halved
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the oil. Add the bread to the preheated grill and grill until it's nicely marked and crispy on both sides (about 2 minutes a side). Remove the bread from the grill and while it's still hot, rub one side of each slice with the cut side of the garlic.
Nutrition information per serving: 393 calories; 145 calories from fat; 16 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 75 mg cholesterol; 1,020 mg sodium; 33 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 21 g protein.
Sara Moulton is host of public television's "Sara's Weeknight Meals." She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including "Cooking Live." Her latest cookbook is "HomeCooking 101."
What to do with your sweetheart on Valentine's Day?
Three years ago, it was the day we moved into our present home. Although it has proved to be the right move for us, scheduling his and hers root canals may have been a more romantic way to spend that Valentine's Day. The roses I bought shriveled and died from neglect as we tried to make sense of the chaos all around us over the ensuing days.
Obviously, my suggestion is to not do anything like we did three years ago, but to use the KISS method instead. I mean, of course, the acronym for Keep It Simple Stupid. If you keep it simple and elegant, there can be nothing more relaxed, appreciated and romantic than staying home, preparing a special meal for you and your sweetheart, followed by a favorite movie on Netflix.
Almost 20 years ago, when my daughter was in her first job after graduating with her degree, she'd periodically call asking me for instructions on food preparation. She'd never taken much interest in cooking while she'd been home; it was when she was on her own, making her own meals that she began to wonder how to make the food she'd been used to growing up.
One evening, she called to tell her mother and me she'd invited a special man for dinner. Her mother's first questions were about the man and how they'd met. Being who I am, my first question was what she planned to serve. Her answer came in the form of a question, "Dad, how do you do that salmon you make?" That was plainly the primary reason she called.
I knew which salmon dish she meant because it was a favorite of hers at the time. In French, the preparation is Saumon et Moules au Vin Blanc; translated to Salmon and Mussels with a White Wine Cream Sauce. I gave her instructions over the phone for the version I'd make at home and wished her the best. Later, she reported the dinner turned out really well and they'd had a wonderful time. That man is now her husband; proof once again, at least in my mind, a well-prepared meal warms the heart.
Valentine's Day menu
The featured dish, Salmon and Mussels with a White Wine Cream Sauce, sounds much more imposing to prepare than it is. Once you have all your ingredients prepared, cooking utensils and table service ready and organized (the all-important mise en place), the preparation is really quite simple.
The first thing to consider is where to purchase your seafood. It's important to make your purchase from a knowledgeable fishmonger selling the freshest fish, preferably the day of, but no earlier than two days before you'll be serving it. I've found the best quality and most readily available salmon this time of year is farm-raised from the Faroe Islands. Ask for salmon as close to the center as possible.
When purchasing the mussels, they should be closed or nearly closed. When storing, don't seal them in a closed container or plastic bag as they will suffocate. I always purchase a few more than I need and cover them with cold water for a few minutes before cooking to both clean them and make sure they all close underwater. Discard any that don't close and remove any "beard" appearing between the shells of the mussels.
Secondly, let's consider what you're going to serve with this dish. A fresh chevre, served at room temperature, sweetened with a drizzle of honey, garnished with dried sour cherries and served with a warm baguette makes a nice, simple pairing. Pressing the cheese into a heart-shaped cookie cutter is totally unnecessary, but could be worth the extra points. For wine, a Macon-Villages Chardonnay, a usually affordable unoaked wine from France's Burgundy region, is an elegant, clean and fresh complement for both the chevre and the main seafood course.
As you move on to the main course, steamed asparagus definitely falls within the KISS method and makes for a nice complimentary vegetable. Move the baguette to the table as you'll want to sop up the delicious sauce.
What better way to finish than with some special chocolates as you settle in on the sofa for your movie? Totally unnecessary again, but a sparkling rose wine is wonderful and festive with chocolate.
Finally, once again following the KISS method, it's vitally important in a successful Valentine's meal to include actual kisses.
SALMON AND MUSSELS WITH A WHITE WINE CREAM SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Faroe Island salmon, cut into 2 pieces
12 mussels
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided in half and softened
2 medium plum tomatoes
1 branch of basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 large asparagus spears or 12 thin ones
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Peel the 2 plum tomatoes by using a thin sharp paring knife. Starting at the bottom end, peel around in one piece to make a tomato rose by re-wrapping the skin into the shape of a rose. Alternatively, cut an X on the bottom end and plunge into boiling water for about 30 seconds or until the skin begins to loosen. Remove to an ice bath and peel the loosened skin. Cut out the stem end, cut the peeled tomatoes in half, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into a fine dice. If making tomato roses, pinch off 4 basil leaves to serve as rose leaves. Tightly roll approximately 4 large basil leaves together and cut into fine strips (chiffonade).
Butter the bottom of an oven-safe saute pan (preferably with a cover) large enough to hold the salmon and the mussels with 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with the sliced shallots. Lightly salt and pepper the salmon portions and place them in the buttered pan with the mussels and 1/2 cup wine. Cover and place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Take the pan from the oven and remove the salmon and mussels to a warmed plate and cover with foil. Strain the liquid and shallots from the pan into a 2-cup liquid measure or a pitcher. Pour the strained liquid with the diced tomato back into the pan over medium-high heat and boil until approximately half remains.
In the meantime, remove 1 of the shells from each of the 6 best-looking mussels and steam the asparagus.
Add the heavy cream to the liquid and continue boiling until large bubbles form and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Quickly whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remove from the heat. Adjust the seasoning of the sauce, plate the salmon and mussels, spoon the sauce over all, plate the steamed asparagus and garnish the salmon with the chiffonade of basil and the tomato rose (if using) on the side.
The long Fourth of July weekend is looming and many a barbecue or picnic to celebrate our nation's birth are planned. Although we're technically not even at the halfway point in the summer, serving more hamburgers and hot dogs may not be quite as appealing as it was for Memorial Day. Why not mix it up a little and grill some fish or shellfish instead?
Charleston Santos, manager and seafood buyer for Mazzeo's Meat and Seafood at Guido's Fresh Marketplace in Pittsfield, Mass., said that although all fish can be cooked on the grill, he recommends using a sushi-grade, white, firm fish — halibut, swordfish, red snapper or grouper. He added that tuna and salmon also work well.
"Halibut is my favorite," he said, adding he grills at home almost every day, year-round. "It's a rich-flavored fish and you don't have to do much with it. It's so rich you don't need to add flavor to it. Keep it as simple as you can."
When Santos grills halibut, he coats it with olive oil and sprinkles it with some salt and pepper before placing it flesh-down on a hot grill. He cooks it for 6 to 8 minutes on each side. "When you put the flesh side down first, it sears in the juices and they stay inside," he said.
He uses the same technique for tuna; grilling a 1 1/2-inch tuna steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side. "It will still be pink in the middle," he said.
When it comes to grilling swordfish, Santos prefers to sprinkle the swordfish steak with salt and pepper and then cover it with mayonnaise. He then grills it for 3 minutes on each side and then flips it over once again for another minute. "The mayonnaise forms a crust and keeps the fish moist," he said.
If you're looking to grill a whole fish, Santos recommends branzini, a Greek fish that weighs about a pound each. He stuffs the fish with fresh herbs — thyme, cilantro and rosemary, and slices of fresh lemon. The whole fish is coated with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. It is then cooked on a medium-high grill for 15 minutes, flipping it over several times. When done, Santos said it will be very soft and almost falling apart.
Soft-shell clams and oysters are also good — and quick — for grilling, Santos said. When cooking shellfish, the grill should be medium hot. "When the they open up, they're done," he said, adding that steamers take about 3 minutes.
He said the idea is to grill shellfish plain and then dress them up by brushing a sauce over the open, grilled clams or oysters. For 4 to 5 pounds of clams or oysters, he mixes 1/4 cup white wine, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon cumin and the juice of one lemon.
Shrimp is the easiest shellfish to cook, according to Santos. He mixes 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, a clove of garlic, minced, with a pound of 13-15 already shelled and deveined shrimp. Once on the grill, they are cooked for a total of 5 minutes, being flipped after 2 1/2 minutes.
Santos said it was also possible to grill lobster. Split them in half lengthwise and, because the flesh is so delicate, place shell-side down on a medium hot grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turn over for 2 minutes. While grilling the lobster shell-side down, brush it with a marinade of 1 tablespoon honey, 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil. (This recipe is good for 2 lobsters; it can be adjusted for a more.)
For a "wow!" Fourth of July celebration, try a traditional New England clambake. For 10 to 12 pounds of clams, start by digging a hole in your backyard 12 inches deep and a foot across and add a layer of charcoal to the bottom of the hole, Santos said. When the coals are glowing red and there are no flames, push some to the side and add a layer of wet seaweed to the coals in the center. On top of the seaweed, add the clams and cover with another layer of seaweed. Cover with the hot coals from the side and cook for 15 minutes. The corn and potatoes can be cooked separately, he said.