Easy Elegance - Spaghettini al Limone

There are several Lemon-driven recipes here on Neurotic Kitchen (find them HERE, HERE and HERE) and the reason for that is simple: I love the stuff. Today's incredibly simple but elegant meal will delight your palate and is a worthy choice for dinner parties, date nights, or any time you want to treat yourself. 

As a bonus, its low-cost ingredients will keep you within your New Year's budget, but the austerity stops there; a sinful amount of Butter makes this not all that diet-friendly, but, incredibly, the finished dish manages to feel so light and refreshing that it is perfect for a first course to get your tastebuds ready for more. Once the Pasta is cooked, this dish comes together in just 5 minutes, so with your mis en place ready to go, you can make it with guests on hand and only be gone from the party very briefly.

Spaghettini al Limone, Photo: NK 

Spaghettini al Limone
Serves 6 as a light appetizer, 4 as a heartier appetizer
Very lightly adapted from Maria Batali

Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons Salted Butter 
Pound Spaghettini or other thin long pasta
2 Tablespoons Salt 
1/4 Cup Lemon Zest (from about 4 lemons)
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese 
3 Tablespoons finely chopped Chives 
Extra Salt and Ground Pepper 

Method: 

Boil a large pot of water with 2 Tablespoons of Salt in it. 

Meanwhile, in a very large saute pan, add the Butter and Lemon Zest and heat over moderate heat, stirring. 

Once water is boiling, add the Pasta and cook until just al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup Pasta Water and drain the pasta. 

Add drained Pasta to the saute pan. Toss Lemon Juice onto it. Toss to coat with Lemon Zest and Butter Mixture and loosen with a tablespoon or two of pasta water, tossing continuously over medium heat for about a minute until thickened. 

Turn off flame and sprinkle on Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. Taste for Salt and add more if needed. Season liberally with Black Pepper. Divide Pasta among plates and sprinkle with chopped Chives. Serve with extra Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. 

Enjoy!! 

Italian Grill - Marinated Ribeye Tagliata

We don't eat a lot of red meat in our house but when we do, we go all out. With summer on the way out and our barbecuing days numbered, I decide to use our favorite grill book, Mario Batali's Italian Grill as inspiration for a pair of beautiful Ribeyes I'd spotted at the butcher earlier that day. I was in the market for a T-bone (check out our previous success with Bistecca alla Fiorentina here) but they were out. 

When it came time to think about how to prepare my Ribeyes, I decided to lightly adapt Mario's marinade for Tagliata. As he will tell you, Tagliata refers not to the type of Steak itself but simply that it will be served in slices. We presented ours as the book suggests, cut into thick strips and plated alongside lightly dressed arugula leaves.

Italian Marinated Ribeye - Photo: NK 

This marinade will work well whether you let it sit in the fridge for the recommended 12 hours or just 4 to 6 hours as I did. The sugar in helps create a lovely char on the meat and balances the salty, garlicky flavors nicely. I hope that you enjoy this winner of a meal and that like us, you make the most of the remaining grilling season in the waning days of summer. Buon appetito! 

Italian-Style Marinated Ribeye 
Lightly adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

2 1.25 Ounce Ribeyes (About 1.5 to 1 and 3/4 inches thick) 
3 large or 6 Small Cloves of Garlic, peeled and very finely minced (or put through a press)
1 teaspoon minced fresh Rosemary 
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flake
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
(Arugula for serving) 

Method: 
Mix together all the dry ingredients in a small bowl and then add the Olive Oil. Mix to form a paste (adding more Olive Oil if needed). Slather Steaks all over with marinade, cover in Saran Wrap and let sit in the fridge at least 4 hours, but preferably 6-12 hours or overnight. 

Allow to sit at room temperature up to an hour before grilling. Grill on a charcoal or gas grill according to this grill guide, flipping it midway in between. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before serving, the cut it against the grain in 1 inch thick slices. Serve on a platter over Arugula or dark, leafy greens of your choice dressed in a bit of Olive Oil and a sprinkle of Salt. Enjoy! 

The Husband Cooks - Warm Shrimp Salad With Green Beans & Chilies

He's hardworking, funny and smart, and he also knows his way around the kitchen. Or in this case, the grill. For today's feature, I'm sharing my husband's recent showstopper of a meal, his rendition of Mario Batali's Warm Shrimp Salad With Green Beans & Chilies. 

The only change he made to the recipe was using jalapeno peppers instead of red chilies and slivered almonds instead of hazelnuts. If you're looking for a light, grillable summer meal, this is the one. Serve it with a nice hunk of bread to soak up the delicious flavors. 

Shrimp Salad With Green Beans & Chilies, Photo: NK 

For the recipe, click HERE

TIP: Grilling Shrimp is easy if you have the right equipment. This stainless grill pan from Weber is great for Shrimp, Fish, even Vegetables. Enjoy and thanks to my main squeeze for the great meal. 

Shrimp grills up easily and doesn't stick
 on this seafood friendly tray, Photo: NK 

Tastes of Vacation - Sun, Fun & What We Ate

For us, no stay-cation is complete without fabulous food, preferably homemade. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy today's quickie post - a roundup to share some of the great food we enjoyed during our week off right next door on the south shore of beautiful Long Island.  With easy and delicious dishes like these, culinary inspiration is not far behind.

First, feast your eyes on another of the world's easiest apps - Pan Con Tomate. It's just Bread with Tomato but it is the most delicious summer bite ever. For the recipe, click HERE. 

Pan con Tomate, Photo: NK

Next, we enjoyed a super easy Mario Batali Chicken recipe. Pollo alla Diavola is pleasantly spicy and perfect for the grill. It takes a bit of planning but it's worth it! For the recipe, click HERE. 

Chicken alla Diavola, Photo: NK 

There are few things more refreshing on a lovely summer evening than Salmon Tartare and a crisp glass of Rose. We lightly adapted Ina Garten's version and omitted the Mustard, added chopped Chives and upped the Lime. The result was delicious (we served ours with crisp Tortilla Chips). Get Ina's recipe HERE. 

Improvised Salmon Tartare, Photo: NK 

After many nights of cooking (plus being hosted at a wonderful and truly delicious July 4th BBQ at my sister-in-law's),a night out was in order. Here are two of the highlights of our dinner out at the bustling Red Bar Brasserie - this Scallop dish and my best guy. 

Scallops at Red Bar Brasserie Photo: NK

Kid Tested - Cauliflower Soup With Orzo

This week I am going to do something a little unorthodox by featuring a recipe from Neurotic Kitchen's sister site, Neurotic-Mom.com - a blog dedicated to healthy and super-fast homemade meals that picky toddlers and kids will love. 

While Neurotic Kitchen's theme of easy and elegant recipes for the busy home cook remains fully intact, I couldn't help but, just this once, share a recent comfort food recipe that was a huge hit with both the big and little people in our house. A light adaptation of Mario Batali's Cauliflower Soup yielded something as simple as it was wonderful. Not only will you enjoy this hearty winter soup, but I can pretty much guarantee that your kids will love it too. Bonus - this recipe makes a huge batch and will feed you for days. 

Enjoy and please follow www.neurotic-mom.com for all my favorite healthy toddler and kids' recipes that you'll enjoy too! You'll also find recommended products and resources for a healthy home. 

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH ORZO

Cauliflower Soup With Orzo, Photo: NK

CLICK HERE for the recipe! 

Italian Feast On The Grill - Bistecca alla Fiorentina & More

Really special Porterhouse, Photo: NK

The porterhouse really is the king of steak, so when you get a good one, you better treat it right. 

Today, we're using this exceptional cut of meat as the centerpiece to an Italian-inspired Feast that can be made mostly on your good old outdoor grill. The best part? This menu is easy yet super impressive (you know how we love that…). 

Simply adjust the servings to your needs and you'll come out with a really fantastic and completely achievable prep-ahead meal that will wow. Two of three of today's recipes come from a wonderful cookbook that we use often, Mario Batali's Italian Grill. (Check out another great recipe from this book HERE).

Here's the Menu:

Corn As Italians Would Eat It (by Mario Batali) 

Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine Style Steak, by Mario Batali)

Summer Plum Panzanella (our own creation) 

Summer Plum Panzanella, Photo: NK

Summer Plum Panzanella
Serves 4  

Ingredients: 
5 one-inch thick slices of Italian Bread cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper 
Teaspoon finely chopped fresh Rosemary leaves (optional)
Two ripe Plums, pitted and sliced in 1/3 inch wedges
1/3 Vidalia Onion, roughly chopped
1/2 head Butter Lettuce, chopped 
15 Small Yellow Tomatoes (grape or cherry sized) such as Sunburst or Zima, cut in half 

Dressing: 
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Olive Oil 
Two shakes of Salt
Two shakes of Pepper 

Method:

1. Toss Bread Cubes with a Tablespoon Olive Oil. In a toaster oven or oven, toast the Bread until crisp and lightly golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, and optional Rosemary. Set aside.
2. To make the salad, combine Butter Lettuce with the Onions, sliced Plums, and Tomatoes. Toss gently. 
3. To serve, add the toasted Bread Crumbs right before serving. Dress the salad a teaspoon at a time, tossing gently, so as to avoid sogginess. You may not need all the dressing. Serve right away!  

Thyme, Sage, and Rosemary, Photo: NK 

Next up, let's see about our steak!



It's important to note that Florentine-style steak is usually made using a T-Bone. Because there are only minor differences between the T-bone and Porterhouse (a variation in the length of the tenderloin half of the cut) we'll still call our creation authentic. There's no question that this juicy cut of meat enhanced by fresh herbs and then charcoal grilled was nothing short of delicious. 



Bistecca alla Fiorentina - Recipe HERE

Classic Florentine Steak, Photo: NK 

and finally,

Corn as Italians Would Eat It - Recipe HERE

Corn As Italians Would Eat It, Photo: NK

BUON APPETITO! 

Weekend Round Up - Memorial Day Grilling

Welcome to our Memorial Day weekend round up! I've been looking forward to sharing some of the edible highlights of what was a lovely family gathering. Our barbecue, by my husband's special request (it was his birthday so he was running the show!), was anchored by a main course of Sausage and Peppers (my mom makes this dish and it's absolutely delicious). With the meat spoken for, I decided to take the opportunity to indulge my ever-growing vegetable obsession. I knew exactly where I would look for inspiration - to one of my favorite Italian chefs, in this case, Mario Batali.

Grilled Vegetable Salad, Italian Style, Photo: NK

I am always inspired by the way Italians treat vegetables. They just seem to have a knack for making them shine without overpowering their natural merits in any way. Batali's cookbook, Italian Grill, is a perennial favorite in our house. We cook from it summer after summer, but I had yet to try his recipe for mixed vegetables on the grill enhanced with a bright, citrusy marinade.  

I hope you enjoy this colorfully eye-catching grilled platter of meatless delights. It makes a stunning presentation and an even better impression once you taste it. As Mario reminds us, choose vegetables that are in season, and feel free to mix and match based on what looks best to you! 

Mario Batali's Capri-Style Grilled Vegetable Platter 
Very slightly adapted from cookbook, Mario Batali's Italian Grill 

Serves 6

Prepping our veggie platter, Photo: NK

Ingredients: 
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin 
1 teaspoon dry Mustard
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 small Italian Eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds

Zest of one Orange, reserved. 

Juice of one Orange (optional Orange Rounds can be set aside for garnish)

1 large Yellow Pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into inch long slices 

12 Baby Zucchini, sliced half lengthwise or 4 small zucchini cut in quarters lengthwise

1 large or 2 small Red Onion, cut into wedges

1 small bunch Red Scallions, or regular Scallions (about 6-8), tops and bottoms trimmed

Small bunch very thin Asparagus, about 12-16 spears, tough ends cut off

Kosher Salt

12 large leaves of Basil, cut into think ribbons (chiffonade)

Method:
1. Place a large baking sheet on an outdoor grill and get it nice and hot (or indoors, use a grill pan or preferably a large smooth skillet atop two oven burners). 

2. Mix the marinade/vinaigrette! Combine Red Wine Vinegar, Garlic, Oregano, Cumin, Dry Mustard, Crushed Red Pepper, Olive Oil and the Orange Juice. Combine and set aside.  (Orange Zest will be reserved for garnish)

3. Brush Vegetables on both sides with the Vinaigrette and lay them on the baking sheets. You may need to grill in batches. Sprinkle the vegetables with Salt. Cook, turning once or twice, until just slightly charred. Keep an eye on the smaller veggies especially, as they may char quicker. Remove veggies as they are tender enough and cooked through.

Cook Times:
Eggplant will be 8-10 minutes, 
Yellow Pepper should be 10-12 minutes, 
Zucchini should take 6-8 minutes
Onions and Scallions should be about 4-6 minutes
Asparagus should grill for 5-7 minutes. 
Be sure to remove each vegetable as it is done.

To serve, arrange artfully on a large platter and sprinkle with extra Vinaigrette. Garnish with optional slices of Orange and sprinkle everywhere with Orange Zest. To finish, add your Basil ribbons and serve!! This is great warm or room temperature.

Caprese Salad with Nectarine & Buffalo Mozzarella, Photo: NK

Need a starter nibble?  Why not try my default plate of delectable Buffalo Mozzarella (or even Burrata--swoon!) with in season stone fruit (in this case, Nectarine) plus ribbons of Basil, and a drizzle of Olive Oil and Balsamic Reduction. To finish, just add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and you're good to go!








 
Now don't get me wrong, we do want to leave plenty of room for the meat on our barbie. Check out my mom's Sausage and Pepper masterpiece that we served along with my veggie platter. It was so good!

Sausage & Peppers by my mama, Photo: NK

Finally, a barbecue just ain't a barbeque without a refreshing cocktail to wash everything down. That's why we are declaring Paloma time! Learn a bit more about about the Paloma HERE. Now you may have noticed I am on a bit of a Grapefruit jag, so Palomas made with gorgeous, fresh-squeezed ruby red grapefruit seemed like a great idea. We serve ours Margarita-style with a salt rim. I am even gonna go out on a a limb and call it our official drink of summer 2014.  Here's the how-to below (to make it virgin, replace Tequila with Seltzer water in equal parts). 

Paloma-rita! Photo: NK

Paloma-Rita
Adapted from Drink Of The Week
Makes 1 Drink

Ingredients: 
2 Ounces of Tequila 
1 Ounce Lime Juice 
3 Ice Cubes
4.5 Ounces of fresh squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
1 teaspoon Simple Syrup (make a batch in advance and store in fridge - learn how HERE) 
Kosher Salt/Coarse Salt
Lime Wedges

Method: 
Rim each glass with a Lime Wedge to moisten.
Pour Kosher Salt into a flat plate and invert the glass over it to create a salt rim. In a shaker, place a few cubes of ice, Tequila, Grapefruit Juice, Lime Juice and Simple Syrup. Give it a good shake and pour it into Margarita Glass. Garnish with Lime Wedge and serve.

There you have it, folks. A successful holiday barbecue for the books. We hope it'll help gain some inspiration for your next summer feast!

Passport to Italy - Pasta di San Giovanello

Lately, I've been thinking more and more about returning to Italy. Maybe it's this seemingly endless cold weather we've been experiencing, or perhaps that unshakeable late winter feeling of needing a vacation! Whatever the cause, I take great pleasure in conjuring up memories of last summer's trip to Rome and the Amalfi coast. 

Me and the Mr. overlooking gorgeous Positano 

Since European travel doesn't seem to be in the cards this year, those remote Southern Italian towns I dream of exploring will have to come to me by way of my dinner plate (not a bad way to do some imaginary travel). 

I decided not to include today's delicious vegetarian pasta as part of our series, Italian Pasta Classics, which, if you've been following, is the feature where I share the recipes for Italy's most loved and famed pasta dishes. This is because "Pasta di San Giovanello", a specialty native to Puglia (the region that makes up the heel of the Italian boot), seems to fly just a bit under the radar. 

Pasta di San Giovanello - Tomato Sauce, Breadcrumbs, Melted Anchovy, Garlic and Almonds, Photo: NK 

Thanks to an extremely informal poll of a small group of food-savvy native Southern Italians in my circle, I determined that though just a few people had heard of the dish, there was significant disagreement about its true ingredients. One Sicilian-born friend observed that he knew Pasta di San Giovanello to be something more like Puttanesca sauce. 

Mario Batali, from whom we borrow today's recipe, does indeed note that the components of this hearty and satisfying Southern Italian dish are hotly contested (particularly today's addition of sliced almonds). What follows below is the recipe Mario describes as his favorite iteration of the dish to date, one that he enjoyed in a small osteria in the town of Brindisi on the very important feast day this pasta is named for - the eve of the feast of St. John the Baptist (aka: San Giovanni Battista or San Giovanello) which is marked on June 24th, though celebrations vary worldwide, some taking place on the eve of the feast, some the day of, and others continuing for several! Rest assured, though ingredients vary, this dish is just delicious. It's also a great way to stretch a small portion of leftover tomato sauce (just 1.5 cups is needed for a dish that feeds 4 to 6 people). And away we go: 

St. John's Eve Pasta/Pasta di San Giovanello
Recipe by Mario Batali, from Molto Italiano 
Serves 6

Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Sliced Blanched Almonds
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cups fresh or store-bought plain Bread Crumbs 
4 fine quality Anchovies, salt (or oil) packed, chopped
Black Pepper
1 White Onion, finely chopped
1 large clove Garlic, finely chopped 
1.5 Cups Tomato Sauce of your choice or Mario's Recipe HERE 
8 Fresh Basil Leaves, chiffonade (aka cut into thin ribbons).
1 Pound long, wide pasta such as Lasagnette, Pappardelle or (Mafalde - what we used) 


Method: 

Almond and Bread Crumb Mixture, Photo: NK

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil - use about 2 tablespoons salt. 

2. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, gently toast the sliced almonds and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over a medium flame until nuts begin to brown just a bit. Remove almonds to a plate. 

3. In the remaining oil, toast the bread crumbs, stirring them often until the become golden brown and somewhat crispy. Combine breadcrumbs and almonds in a bowl and set aside. 

4. Add 2 Tablespoons additional olive oil to the pan you used for the breadcrumbs. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the anchovies, using your spoon to crush them into the oil so they begin to dissolve. Stir until they melt into the oil, this should take a minute or so. Pour the anchovy and oil mixture over the breadcrumbs and almond mix and season it with black pepper before setting aside. 

Sauce Coming Together, Photo: NK 

5. Add the remaining 5 Tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium-low heat until onions soften but do not brown. Stir occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. 

6. Add the tomato sauce to the pan with the onion and bring the mixture to a "brisk simmer" and let it cook until the sauce has reduced by about one third in volume. Add basil ribbons and turn heat off. 

7. By this time your pasta water should be boiling. Add the pasta to the water and cook according to package directions until just al dente. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the sauce. Add half of the almond and breadcrumb mixture and toss to combine well. 

8. Transfer the pasta to warmed serving bowls and sprinkle them with the leftover breadcrumb mixture. Serve right away! 

Lazy Days of Summer - Two Simple Seafood Starters

Super local greens, Photo: NK 

Is there anything better than a lazy Summer weekend? 

This last one was a winner thanks to beautiful weather, a Super Moon, and doing a whole lotta nothing. 

Some of the highlights: 



Fresh and delicious local greens from our neighbor's garden - Thank you, Freddie!




Checking out some beachy yard sale kitsch

Photo: NK 

And of course, a nice bottle of this  (goes great with seafood, but we'll get to that soon).  

Lieb Cellars, bridge lane rose, Photo: NK 

My perfect weekend will almost always include a nice home-cooked dinner. Staying on theme with our ever-growing seafood obsession (check out our previous fish feast HERE), I chose to make two deceptively simple light and elegant appetizers.

For each of these recipes, all you'll need is about 20 minutes, a grill or grill pan, and a very good fish market. Lazy summer evening approved. 

Grilled Scallop Salsa Cruda

Grilled Baby Octopus with Orange, Chile, & Olives 

Grilled Scallop Salsa Cruda
Lightly Adapted from the New York Times
Serves 2-3 as an appetizer 

Ingredients: 
8 large dry Sea Scallops, small side muscle removed and discarded
2 Tablespoons fruity Olive Oil + extra for brushing Scallops 

Photo: NK

1 large very ripe Tomato, roughly chopped
1/2 Tablespoon finely minced Garlic
1/3 Cup Italian Parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced Jalapeno, optional
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Crusty Bread or Tortilla Chips for serving 

Method: 
1. Heat a grill or stovetop grill pan until very hot. 

2. Brush Scallops on both sides with some Olive Oil and sprinkle them with Salt and Pepper. 

3. Sear Scallops on one side for about 3 minutes until grill marks appear. Flip them to the other side and cook another 1-2 minutes until firm and opaque. Set Scallops aside and allow to cool. 

4. Meanwhile, mix all other ingredients together in a medium bowl to create the Salsa. 

5. Cut Scallops into quarters and toss them into salsa. Stir. 

6. Taste and season with Salt and Pepper. Serve room temperature or slightly chilled. 
Enjoy!

Grilled Scallop Salsa Cruda, Photo: NK 

Next up, delicious Baby Octopus with Spicy Chile, Orange, and Oil-Cured Olives. If you are averse to Octopus you could easily adapt this recipe to Calamari. The cook time may change just a bit and Calamari is done when it is opaque white and firm but not overly rubbery. Enjoy! 

Grilled Octopus with Orange, Chile & Olives
Adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill (which is a great cookbook, by the way)
Serves 2-3 as an appetizer 

Ingredients:
About 6 Baby Octopi - 1/2-3/4 Lb total, depending on size
2.5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for brushing Octopus
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
About 12 Oil Cured Black Olives, pitted and roughly chopped  
1 dried Red Chile, finely chopped (or 3/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper)
Zest of 1 Medium Orange
4 Orange Slices
1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Chives, chopped (optional) 

Method:
1. For the dressing - Combine Oil, Vinegar, Dried Chile, Orange Zest, Orange Juice, a generous pinch of Salt and Pepper and the Olives. 
2. Heat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Brush Octopi with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. 
3. Place Octopi on the hottest part of the grill and cook until charred and crispy, about 4 minutes per side.
4. To serve, plate Octopus with Orange Wedges and drizzle the Octopus with dressing (you may not need it all). Garnish with optional Chives and serve immediately. 

Bon appetit! 

And happy summer. 

A Few of my Favorite Things - Clam Appetizer + Fluke 2 Ways

Life can be one unpredictable blankety-blank - as we can all attest. For this reason, 

I especially relish those blocks of time when everything just seems to go perfectly.

I encourage you to do the same!  

It's in this very grateful spirit that I give you 

Things that rocked this weekend:

~Beautiful warm weather 

~Getting all our chores done efficiently - just look at that mulch :) 






~Being first in line for the catch of the day -- more on that later

 ~ A few stellar finds at the neighbor's yard sale

~ A long bike ride 

~These Oysters with a Red Horseradish Granita that made for a super lunch...

 ~ And my personal favorite - a luscious mid-afternoon nap. 

Now I know you'll agree that an amazing weekend deserves to be closed out with a wonderful meal, and if you're anything like us, perfectly balmy weather whets your appetite for Seafood.  Getting our hands on a super fresh catch of Local Fluke provided an inspiring jumping off point for a Summery Menu celebrating the fruits of the sea.

Local Fluke Ceviche

Clams with Bacon, Tomatoes & Peppers

Pan Seared Fluke with Lime Butter  

Fluke Ceviche, Photo: NK

Fluke Ceviche

Inspired by Martha Stewart

Serves 2 as a light appetizer 

Ingredients:

6 Ounces of very fresh Fluke Fillet, cut into a medium dice or to the size you prefer

3 Tablespoons Lime Juice

1 heaping Tablespoon chopped Fresh Cilantro

1/4 small Red Onion, cut into a very fine mince

1/4 Jalapeno, seeded and very thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Method:

1. Combine Fish and Lime Juice in a small bowl. Refrigerate for at least a half hour or up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. When Fish is opaque, mix in all other ingredients. Stir and serve chilled. Enjoy! 

Next up, we have our crowd pleasing Clam Appetizer, a twist on my Classic Zuppa di Vongole, but do check out our old favorite HERE. 

Clams with Bacon, Blistered Grape Tomatoes & Yellow Peppers, Photo: NK

Clams with Bacon, Grape Tomatoes, & Yellow Peppers

Adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill

Serves 2-3 as an Appetizer or 2 as a light Entree

Ingredients: 

18 Small Littleneck Clams, Scrubbed

2 strips of good quality Bacon (we like Coleman or Boar's Head), cut into a small dice

1/2 a Yellow Bell Pepper, de-seeded and chopped into a half-inch dice

About 18 Grape Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper

3 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced

3/4 Cups Dry White Wine

Slices of Crusty Bread, for dipping in Broth (optional) 

Parsley or Cilantro Garnish (optional)  

Method: 

1. In a large, deep skillet with a lid, heat Oil over low heat for a minute. Add the Grape Tomatoes and allow them to cook for about 4-5 minutes until the skin begins to blister and brown just a bit. Pick out the Tomatoes with tongs and set aside in a bowl. 

2. In the same skillet, over low heat, add the Bacon and cook for about 4 minutes until it is beginning to brown. Now add Bell Pepper, Garlic, and Crushed Red Pepper. Cook, stirring often for another 3 minutes. 

3. Add Wine to the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Bring to a boil. Add the Clams to the skillet and cover. 

4. Allow the Clams to cook, covered, for 5 minutes over medium heat. Open the pot lid and begin to pull out Clams immediately as the open. If you leave them long after they pop open they will become rubbery. It may take another 3-4 minutes for all Clams to open. Discard any that do not. 

5. Portion Clams into each bowl. Top with Broth including bits of Pepper and Bacon. Sprinkle each plate with Grape Tomatoes. Garnish if you choose and serve immediately alongside Crusty Bread and enjoy! 

And for Fluke fans that don't fancy it raw, here's an easy way to prepare this versatile and hearty white fillet.

Pan Seared Fluke with Lime Butter, Photo: NK

Pan Seared Fluke with Lime Butter 

Servings Vary 

Ingredients: 

Fresh Fluke Fillets (one 6-8 ounce portion per person will do)

Olive Oil (about a Tablespoon per pound of Fish) 

Lime Zest - about a 1/2 teaspoon per Fillet

Lime Juice - about 1/2 a Lime per Fillet 

1/2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter (per Fillet)

Sliced Jalapeno (optional) 

Sliced Red Onion (optional)

Cilantro (optional garnish) 

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper 

Method: 

1. Heat a nonstick skillet with a Tablespoon of Olive Oil Medium high heat. 

Salt and Pepper the Fillets

2. Heat each Fillet on one side until browned and almost cooked through - timing will vary based on Fillet size. Flip Over and sear on the opposite side for another minute or two. When finished, Fish will be opaque and flake easily with a fork.

3. Plate the warm Fillets right away and place a 1/2 Tablespoon of Butter on each. Spread Butter around until it melts. Sprinkle with Lime Zest and squeeze Lime Juice over each portion. Garnish with sliced Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Red Onion.

Enjoy!