Burger Night - Salmon Burgers With Orange & Fennel Slaw

Lately I've been trying even harder than I normally do to limit our family's overall meat intake, much to the chagrin of my carnivorous husband. It's not an easy task, particularly because the only fully vegetarian meal that makes him smile is some iteration of pasta and greens (hence the veritable treasure trove of meat-free pasta dishes in our archives). 

This wouldn't in itself be an issue except that even if I am being extra charitable to myself, my girlish figure cannot stand up to multiple carb-heavy meals per week. I'll also admit to having absolutely no self control of around pasta (the ultimate comfort food), and the charming idea of just eating a smaller portion goes right out the window when I am faced with a pot full of the good stuff.

Salmon Burgers With Orange & Fennel Slaw, Photo: NK

This is why I am always eager to come up with more and more Meat-Free dinners that my family will enjoy. Piggie-backing off the success of our super easy and light Tuna Burgers, I was very excited to add another fish-based burger to the monthly rotation. Luckily my new Giada Cookbook, Happy Cooking, had a really appealing Salmon Burger recipe that looked great.  After all, we only make Tuna Burgers once,  maybe twice a month because Tuna is high in mercury content.   EWG's Seafood Calculator is a great, customizable way to plan your monthly fish meals because it tells you how many portions of each soft you can consume while still staying below the guidelines.

The Salmon Burgers are topped with Orange and Fennel Slaw -which is delicious on so many things - especially fish. That's probably what sold me on this recipe. I hope you enjoy our slightly adapted version below. It will yield four burgers. The remaining two that we didn't eat froze really nicely. Kids will eat these too! 

Salmon Burgers With Orange & Fennel Slaw
Lightly Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, Happy Cooking
Serves 4 

Ingredients: 
Slaw
1 Fennel Bulb, cored, and sliced thinly into rings (by hand or with a mandoline), some of the Fennel Frond set aside and minced (about 1 heaping Tablespoon of fronds)
1 Orange, peeled and segmented
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Burgers
2 6-8 portions Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, boned, skinned and cut into small cubes
1/3 Cup Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, leaves only
4 teaspoons Capers, rinsed 
1 Shallot, chopped
1 heaping teaspoon Orange Zest
2 Tablespoons Panko Breadcrumbs
1 Egg White
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
4 Toasted Potato Roll Burger Buns, for serving 

Method: 
Combine all the Slaw ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir and set aside.

In a food processor, combine all the Burger ingredients except the Olive Oil. Pulse a few times so that Salmon is coarsely chopped and all is combined. Remove the mixture and divide it into quarters, shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty. 

In a medium saute pan, heat the Olive Oil over medium-high heat. Once the Oil is hot, cook the patties for about 3 minutes per side until cooked through and golden.

To serve, toast the Potato Rolls and place patties on them. Top with Orange and Fennel Slaw. Serve right away!

A Simple Seafood Starter - Cilantro Scallops On Tortilla Chips

File today's tasty morsel under appetizers that practically make themselves. 
Marcela Vallodolid's genius Cilantro Scallops recipe begins with a boldly flavored, Latin-inspired marinade that imparts just enough punch to sweet Sea Scallops.

Cilantro Marinated Scallops, Photo: NK 

Our twist: I opted to let the scallops sit, marinating in the fridge, longer than specified (to great results, I might add) and then, following the recipe exactly, seared them on a blazing hot grill for just minutes, before being serving them on a sturdy tortilla chip that lends a homey twist to what is normally an elegant seafood splurge. 

The easy marinade, Photo: NK

Adaptable to a grill or indoor grill pan, why not live it up while those sultry summer nights are still with us? Add an easy main (we went with our favorite Fish Tacos), and you have yourself a fabulous fish feast.




Marinate these Scallops for a few hours to really maximize their flavor. 3 hours was just perfect, and while more is probably not needed, less would be fine too. Make yourself a nice cocktail like our Paloma-rita while you wait.


CHEERS!

The easiest of the not-too-sweet margs - the Grapefruit-based Paloma-rita!
Photo: NK 

Home For The Holidays - Feast of The Seven Fishes, 2013!

Smoked Salmon with Lemon Creme Fraiche on Chips
(Thanks, Nina, for my beautiful plates!)
Photo: NK

Wow, Holidays, you really know how to exhaust a girl. But you are so worth it. I may be coming to you just a bit later than usual with the holiday recap of our annual Feast of The Seven Fishes Christmas Eve Meal, but I'm happy to say that our third year of hosting was a success! 

Many dishes from last year's menu made a repeat showing, but I also made sure to add on a few new recipes for variety's sake. In fact, we increased our number of courses overall and were very proud to serve a total of eight dishes (counting hors d'oeuvres) and a whopping nine kinds of fish! Definitely a personal best for this household! 

To kick off the evening, we served up Smoked Salmon with Lemon Creme Fraiche Canapés. We made a slight change to last year's recipe by spiking the creme fraiche with about a teaspoon of lemon zest (to three tablespoons of creme) and serving the salmon mixture on a kettle-cooked potato chips! I just love hors d'oeuvres on chips, and they are much more cost effective than using blini as a base. 

Before I go on, here's our whole menu:

Feast of the Seven Fishes - 2013

Smoked Salmon Canapes on Chips (recipe HERE)

Crostini with Roasted Red Peppers & Tonnato Sauce (see below)

Individual Lump Crab Cocktails (recipe HERE)

Baccala Salad (see below)

Calamari Salad with Citrus Flavors (see below)

Zuppa di Vongole (Clams) over Savory Crouton (recipe HERE)

Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo over Fettucine (recipe HERE)

Rao's Lemon Sole (recipe HERE)

Assorted Desserts Courtesy of our Guests! (scroll for photos)

Individual Lump Crab Cocktails, Photo: NK

For our next hors d'oeuvre bite, we served crostini that had been lightly brushed with a classic Italian sauce called Tonnato, before being topped with slices of roasted pepper. A personal favorite of mine, Tonnato is  a tuna-based sauce most traditionally served with thinly sliced, chilled veal. The sauce is native to the Piedmont region in Italy.  Forgetting himself, my husband cutely refers to it as "tornado." As in: "Are you making the tornado appetizer?" He sure is good for comic relief. I hope you enjoy this festive, easy, and very Italian nibble, Crostini With Roasted Red Peppers & Tonnato Sauce:

Crostini with Roasted Red Peppers & Tonnato Sauce, Photo: NK  

Crostini With Roasted Red Peppers & Tonnato Sauce 
Adapted from Food & Wine and inspired by Epicurious
Serves 8, 2 pieces per guest
Make Ahead: Tonnato sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Assemble crostini about an hour or less before serving. 

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Olive Oil based Mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
One 6-Ounce Jar Italian Tuna packed in Olive Oil
3 teaspoons Capers (divided), drained and well rinsed
2 Tablespoons Water
6 Anchovy fillets
1 Jar Roasted Red Peppers, drained and patted dry, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
1 Crusty French Baguette, sliced into 16 thin slices, brushed with Olive Oil and toasted 
1/2 Cup finely chopped Italian Parsley

Method: 
1. Blend 2 teaspoons capers with Mayonnaise, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Tuna, and Water until smooth and silky. You can prepare up to this step as much as 2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated. 

2. Spread about a teaspoon of Tonnato Sauce on each slice of bread. Now top each toast with 2-3 slices of Red Pepper. Sprinkle with Capers and ample Parsley. Enjoy!

NEXT UP: 
This Sicilian style calamari salad is understated, clean and delicious. A dash of orange flavor makes it interesting and bright. Cooking the calamari just right is the key to nailing this recipe - and steaming the fish is a great way to achieve the perfect texture.  It'll become an instant classic at your holiday table, but is simple enough for everyday. 

Calamari Salad With Citrus Flavors, Photo: NK

Calamari Salad With Citrus Flavors
Lightly adapted from Lidia Bastianich
Serves 6 as a light appetizer
Make Ahead: This salad will keep nicely in the fridge for 24 hours. Bring to room temp before serving, or served chilled if you prefer. 

Ingredients:
1.5 - 2 Pounds Cleaned Calamari (medium-large size, tubes and tentacles)
1 Lemon
3 Dried Bay Leaves
1.5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice 
1 Orange, zested (for about a Tablespoon of zest)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt or Sea Salt, divided
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper or more to taste
3 Tablespoons Italian Parsley, chopped

Method: 
1. Set a large pot with a few inches of water at the bottom on the stove, enough you'll be able to position a colander inside of the pot without it touching the water. Shave all the yellow zest off the lemon using a paring knife. Avoid the white pith. Add the lemon rinds and bay leaves to the water and bring it to a simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. This will infuse the water with their aromas. 

2. While the water simmers, rinse Calamari tubes and tentacles well. Slice the tubes into 1/3 inch rings. For the larger tubes, you can fold them over lengthwise in order to slice them more easily. Trim any extra-long tentacles and discard.

3. Once water has simmered for a half hour, place the colander atop the pot and add the calamari. Cover the pot, and allow to steam for 2 minutes. Add two pinches of salt to the calamari and toss in the colander. Repeat this process about 3 times for a total of 8-10 minutes steaming time. Note:The 8 minutes is broken into 2 minute intervals where you season and toss the squid. You'll know the squid is done when it is tender but slightly springy to the bite. 

4. Remove the colander to a sink and allow the calamari to drain and cool a bit for about 5 minutes. Place calamari in a bowl and toss with crushed red pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, grated orange zest, and parsley. Taste for seasoning and add any remaining salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!!   

Baccala Salad. Photo: NK

And now, for what ended up being the sleeper hit of our Christmas Eve feast, our version of Baccala Salad. But first, a confession: for years, I've felt semi-fradulent by not including de rigueur Baccala in our Italian fish menu. Baccala is dried salt cod that requires soaking and reconstituting in water before it can be used in food preparations. Truth is, I've never liked eating salt cod in fillet form, even though, interestingly, plain old fresh cod is probably one of my favorite fish. But who am I to impugn a food that generations of Italian grandmas have revered? So, with the best of intentions, I tried my hand at Baccala (a day in advance of my party, just in case the worst happened). 

For the three days preceding, I'd dutifully soaked the cod, and changed the water twice per day as directed. Still, when I finally boiled it up, I found it fishy and not that tender. Definitely not something I was comfortable serving. Granted, I probably did something massively wrong or overcooked the fish, but the show needed to go on, and I was determined to complete my cod mission. One fillet of fresh cod later and I was on my way. The result was delicious. Besides, we here at Neurotic Kitchen don't spend three days preparing anything, so this fresh cod solution was really much more our speed. With just six minutes in poaching liquid, what emerged was a stunning white cod fillet that was plump and ready to be mixed up with some mouthwatering hot cherry peppers, olives, and capers. I am drooling again as I write this. Enjoy! 

Baccala Salad
Adapted from the Rao's Cookbook
Serves 6 as a light appetizer course 
Make Ahead: You can prepare this up to 6 or 7 hours in advance. Store in the fridge and serve at room temperature

Ingredients: 
2 - 8 to 10 Ounce Fillets of  Fresh Icelandic Cod
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Hot Cherry Peppers, sliced
1/2 Cup Sweet Vinegar Peppers, sliced
1/2 Cup pitted Gaeta Olives, sliced in half
2 Tablespoons Capers, rinsed
3 Tablespoons Italian Parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Place cod fillets in a deep saute pan and fill the pan with water until fillets are just submerged. Bring the pan to a steady boil and turn off the heat immediately. Cover and allow the fish to poach for 6 minutes untouched. It should be opaque and flake easily when finished. Carefully remove fillets to a flat surface. Check for bones and skin and remove any that remain. Gently crumble or slice the fish into bite-sized cubes. Allow fish to cool fully and place it in a bowl. 

2. In a small pan, heat the oil and saute the garlic cloves in for 3 minutes over low heat. Cool the oil. 

3. Pour the oil and garlic over the cod and add lemon juice, the peppers, olives, capers, and parsley. Stir gently and add salt and pepper to taste. Place on a platter and serve at room temperature. 

Enjoy! 

Before I leave you, I wanted to share some of the great desserts our guests brought to Christmas Eve, and the next day to Christmas dinner at my mother-in-law's house. To say we ate well over these two days would be an understatement.  I hope you enjoyed this holiday recap and that you are having a festive season with your loved ones. See you in the New Year! 

My Mom's delicious Coconut Cupcakes (Ina Garten's Recipe)
Photo: NK

My Mom's beautiful Chocolate Layer Cake (Ina Garten's Recipe) plus holly from our backyard, Photo: NK

My Sister-in-Law's gorgeous and delectable Chocolate Berry Wreath Cake and

 Mom-in-Law's very yummy Key Lime Pie (Cook's Illustrated Recipe) Photo: NK

Practice Makes Perfect - Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo

You may have heard, I'm a touch bit neurotic. This will come as no surprise to the poor folks (friends, family, workmates, and strangers) who've endured my constant yammering about the fact that, for the third year running, I'm hosting our family's annual Christmas Eve meal - a traditional Italian multi-course  Feast of the Seven Fishes. 

Rock Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo over Fettucine, Photo: NK

I yammer when I'm nervous. 

Even the most practiced cooks can come down with a case of stage fright around the holidays. I am no different. I like everything to come out perfectly seasoned and satisfying, and I often end up driving myself a bit bonkers in the process. But that's the good thing about this blog - I drive myself nuts so you don't have to! Our recipes are all tried and true, and where possible, I've added tips and tricks to increase the ease of each dish as well as minimize any potential for error.

Still, the number one way I keep my culinary cool is to try and practice new dishes in advance. There's nothing like the peace of mind that comes from having made a dish before. It's also true that the more you make it, the easier it gets until one day, it's become second nature. That's just what we're doing today as we try our hand at Rock Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo over Fettucine. It's a lot like last year's Christmas Eve dish of Shrimp Arrabiata. I just happen to find pasta and spicy tomato sauce to be the perfect vehicle for seafood.

Now, a few words for Lidia Bastianich on her recipe that we've adapted today:

The amount of peperoncino you use to obtain the “Fra Diavolo,” or “Brother Devil”, is to your liking. Fra Diavolo sauce, originally used with lobster chunks still in the shell, is a creation of Italian immigrants in New York City at the turn of the twentieth century.

The Results:
Shrimp and Lobster Fra Diavolo is, as I predicted, pretty easy to make. After gobbling it all up ourselves last night, the husband and I feel pretty confident that it will be well received on Christmas Eve. I've included my "make-ahead" strategy below so you too can make this dish company-ready, although I think it could certainly be prepared fully and fridged for 5 or 6 hours in advance (just reheat low and slow so the fish doesn't get tough). Start to finish, it only takes about 35 minutes, so it's a great addition to your easy to execute repertoire. Stay tuned for the full play-by-play of our Feast of the Seven Fishes meal next week. Enjoy!

Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich
Serves 8 as an Appetizer or 6 as a Main Course

Ingredients: 

San Marzano Tomatoes, Photo: NK

1.5 Lbs Long Pasta of your choice - we used Fettucine
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 large cloves of Garlic, peeled and crushed 
5 sprigs of Fresh Thyme
1 teaspoon Sea Salt, divided

1.5 Lbs Rock Shrimp OR 1 Lb Rock Shrimp & 1 8-Oz Lobster Tail, cut in bite-sized chunks

1.5 cups diced Celery (inner stalks)
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper or to taste
1 - 28 Oz Can Whole Peeled canned San Marzano Tomatoes 
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Capers, drained
1/4 Cup Italian Parsley, chopped 

Searing the Shrimp, Photo: NK

Method:
1. In a very large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and garlic cloves. As the garlic begins to sizzle, add the sprigs of thyme 

2. Now add shrimp (and the lobster if using). Season the seafood with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and toss it around the pan for about 2 minutes until shrimp and lobster are opaque and somewhat firm. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp and lobster to a plate and set aside.

3. Add the celery to the skillet. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed red pepper and allow to toast about 1 minute. Pour in all the contents from the canned tomatoes plus about 3/4 cup water. Using a potato masher, crush the whole tomatoes a bit right in the pan. Season with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. 

 
4. Now is the time to start some salted pasta water to boil. Once boiling, prepare pasta according to package instructions. 

Preparing the Sauce, Photo: NK

5. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow to cook until the celery becomes tender and the sauce thickens - about 15 minutes or a bit more should do it. 
Now, stir in the capers and return the sauce to a boil. Add the shrimp (and lobster, if using) back into the skillet. Warm through, stirring, for another 2 minutes or more until fully cooked. Stir in the parsley. 

6. Plate each portion of pasta and top with a scoop of the sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Make Ahead Strategy:
To serve this meal for guests, I recommend preparing the recipe as above, all the way through, but skipping step two (where you cook the fish). About 20 minutes before you'd like to serve the meal, set a pot of water to boil for the pasta and put a low flame under your already prepared sauce. About 5 minutes before your pasta is finished cooking, cook the seafood in a separate saute pan with hot oil, tossing until cooked through. Add the fish to the pasta sauce, plate, serve, enjoy!

Four Courses, Four Friends - Easy Fish Feast + A Cocktail

Amante Picante Margaritas, Photo by Eric S. 

This past weekend we hosted a little dinner party at my family's bungalow for my best friend and her husband.  We always have a great time together, so much so that I hate the thought of being stuck in the kitchen while all the usual hilarity ensues. 

Initially, I was toying with the idea of grilling, but I ditched that plan in favor of a multi-course seafood meal. Plus, it was a brutal 90 degrees out so standing over a hot grill (who am I kidding? making my husband stand over a hot grill) didn't seem all that appealing.

You may think that serving a  meal with this many courses could never be easy, but I am here to tell you it can - the key is making good choices by serving simple, mostly make-ahead, no-cook dishes, while tackling some of the prep and chopping in advance. 

In today's post, we'll share four dishes and a smashingly good Margarita, all of which require minimal effort. This is because 3 of 4 courses are served chilled or at room temperature and call for "assembly" rather than cooking. As such, all three beginning courses can be made/prepped ahead. 

The entree course (my favorite, Linguine with Clam Sauce) comes together in under a half hour and is incredibly easy to throw together. I like to take a long pause before serving it as a final plate. This way, I have plenty of time to join in the merriment before taking a little break in the kitchen to finish everything off. It's also nice to be able to give your guests time to again rev up their appetites, so start early, eat slowly, and enjoy. 

Cocktail Hour

Amante Picante Margarita

Margarita Oysters Verde 

Dinner

Lump Crab Cocktail

Peach & Tomato Caprese Salad with Burrata

Linguine with White Clam Sauce  

Cocktail Hour with Oysters? Yes, Please! 

Check out this slightly spicy,refreshing and not-too-sweet cocktail that my Sister-in-Law recently introduced me to - the Amante Picante Margarita. My best friend, who is always full of surprises, brought along little cocktail umbrellas that worked perfectly in our drinks. How cute is she? The Amante Picante Can be Made an hour in advance. 

Preparing the Amante Picante Margarita, Photo: NK

Amante Picante Margarita

Recipe Courtesy of Food and Wine Magazine

Serves 6 to 8 

Ingredients:

1/2 a large Seedless Cucumber
plus 8 thin slices for garnish

1/2 a medium Jalapeno, thinly sliced

1/4 Cup Cilantro, plus additional for garnish. 

8 Ounces Lime Juice

6 Ounces Agave Nectar 

18 Ounces Silver Tequila

1/2 teaspoon Celery Bitters 
(Optional, we omitted) 

Lime wedges for garnish and rimming the glasses

1/4 Cup Kosher Salt and 1 teaspoon
grated Lime Zest mixed together

Ice

A large pitcher and a cocktail shaker 
 

Method:

In a pitcher, muddle up the cucumber (all but the 8 slices for garnish), Jalapeno, and a 1/4 Cup of Cilantro. Add the Tequila, Lime Juice, Agave Nectar and optional Bitters. Allow to refrigerate about an hour.

When ready to serve, wet the rims of 8 rocks or margarita glasses with a Lime wedge and coat with Lime Salt. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and working in batches and adding fresh ice, shake the cocktail and strain into glasses (removing all solids). Garnish with Cucumber, Cilantro and Lime. Enjoy! 

You know what pairs well with the spicy brightness of the Amante Picante Margarita?  
Margarita Oysters (aka Tequila-spiked) topped with spicy Salsa Verde. We make this dish with store-bought green salsa with a major kick of spice so that it's as easy and fast to prepare as it should be. I bought my Oysters already shucked to save time. Slurp away...

Margarita Oysters Verde 

Serves 4 for cocktail hour (3 oysters each)

Ingredients:

12 Raw Oysters, shucked

1/4 Cup Silver Tequila 

1 Container Spicy Salsa Verde (with tomatillos, lime, jalapeño) Freshdirect's is our fave.

2 Limes, 1 for squeezing, the other for Lime Wedge Garnish

Cilantro, optional garnish

Ice, if desired, for serving

Method:

Salsa Verde and Tequila-Spiked Oysters and a Margarita -  a natural match

Plate oysters on a bed of Ice and squeeze one Lime over all of them.

Drop about a quarter teaspoon Tequila over each Oyster.

Drop about a half teaspoon Salsa Verde on each Oyster as well. 

Garnish plate with Lime Wedges and Cilantro Sprigs.

Serve immediately. 

Margarita Oysters Verde, Photo: NK 

What's easier than our next dish? Probably nothing. Individual Lump Crab Cocktails are a favorite go-to appetizer of mine (for the full recipe, click HERE). I buy Pasteurized Lump Crab in the can and toss it with Salt, Pepper, and Lemon Juice. Then I pop it in a Ziploc bag in the fridge until ready to serve. I have my plates ready to go in advance with some fancy lettuce lining the bottoms. Sometimes, I even make this portable by serving it in a Martini Glass. When I'm ready to bring the Crab Cocktails out, I simply portion out the Crab, squeeze some more Lemon Juice over it and garnish with lots of chopped Chives alongside a dollop Cocktail Sauce. Can't miss!

Individual Lump Crab Cocktails, Photo: NK 

Peach and Tomato Caprese Salad with Burrata, Photo: NK 

Like Classic Caprese Salad? Then you'll love this version that gets extra twist with the addition of Peaches and Burrata instead of the usual Mozzarella. This is best made fairly close to serving time because Peaches can turn brown in the air. 

Peach & Tomato Caprese Salad with Burrata
Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 Ounces Burrata Cheese, cut into 1 inch pieces

A Handful of Basil Leaves Still on the the stem, plus a few additional leaves cut into a chiffonade

1 large and very ripe Beefsteak Tomato, cut into wedges

1 large and very ripe Peach cut into wedges (I prefer Georgia Peaches but White Peaches work too)

Optional Balsamic Cream, for drizzling

Balsamic Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Black Pepper

Method:

Arrange the Tomato, Peaches in whatever formation you prefer. Sprinkle Peaches and Tomatoes with a bit of Salt and Pepper. Add the Burrata, again, in whatever configuration you prefer. Finally, drizzle everything lightly with Balsamic Cream if you have it, and drizzle again with a little bit of Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Top with the Basil Leaves and sprinkle all over with the Basil ribbons. Enjoy!

After several courses, everyone was understandably getting full. I always enjoy taking a nice long break before popping back into the kitchen to throw the final dish together. Should take you about 20-25 minutes. Clean the fresh Clams in advance and pre-chop the Garlic and Parsley to make this dish super fast to prepare. It gets raves!

Dad's Signature Linguine with White Clam Sauce
(click HERE for the make-ahead version of this recipe)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 Pound Linguine

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

6 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced

2 Can Chopped Clams (5 oz)
8 Ounces Clam Juice (one bottle)

3 1/2 Dozen Littleneck Clams, scrubbed thoroughly. Ask the fishmonger to pick out the smallest ones possible.

2 Cups Dry White Wine, divided
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper to taste
1/2 Cup Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, Chopped

Optional Crusty Bread for serving (to soak up the delicious broth)

Method:
Set a pot of salted Pasta Water to Boil. Cook as directed on package.

In a large, heavy bottom pot, heat Oil and Butter over medium low heat.

Once the Butter is melted, add the minced Garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 or 2 minutes. Do not burn the garlic. If the garlic burns, it is not a bad idea to toss everything and start over.

Next, add both cans of Chopped Clams with their juice to the pot. Turn up the flame to medium.

Add 1 cup of the Dry White Wine.
Heat until the liquids begin to bubble a bit.

Add 8 oz of Clam Juice

Add the Black Pepper and Crushed Red Pepper to taste. I like to use at least 1/2 a teaspoon. Bring liquid to a light boil and add all the fresh Clams to the pot.

Cover the pot and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the remaining 1 Cup of Wine.
Re-cover pot and cook another 3-4 minutes.

It should come to a gentle boil.

Check the Clams now and as they should begin opening.
Pull clams out immediately with tongs one by one the moment they open and set aside in an extra bowl.

Give the pot a stir and continue to cook, continuing to remove Clams out one by one as they pop open. You may have to shuffle them around to make space for them to open one by one. Discard any that do not after a reasonable period of time.

To assemble: Plate Pasta into bowls, and top with even amounts of fresh Clams. Pour a generous amount of Broth from the pot over each portion. Garnish with Parsley and enjoy!!

That does it! I hope you'll try our easy Seafood feast for your next dinner party. Happy cooking!