June 19, 2008

Grilled Dill Shrimp With Asparagus

I love shrimp and Alexis does too. In fact shrimp is one of those things she asked to try recently, though she had had it when she was younger and liked it then too, but had forgotten about it and I'm all about the "If you want to try it, we'll try it!" thing because one of my biggest pet peeves is saying you don't like something you've never tasted! So when she wants to try something we get it for her to try. She wanted to try raspberries, though I'll admit I'm not a fan of those, but if she wants to eat them then fine! She wanted to try lobster so we got a lobster and steamed it and she loved it!

See there I go getting side tracked again...The point is if she wants to try something I'll make it happen, but back to what we were really talking about.

Where was I? Oh yes...shrimp!

I rarely buy shrimp because even with Maryland being a water state it's hard to find truly fresh shrimp! Maryland is proud to be more of a blue crab/oyster state. Sometimes even if you buy frozen shrimp it is old! But every once in a while I'll stumble on to some that is actually fresh and in the case it was fresh AND on sale! Now what is better than that? So of course I grabbed some and we headed home.

There are so many things you can do with shrimp and all sorts of ideas popped through my mind. I thought about making some kabobs with thyme (which by the way you should try because they are to die for!), I thought about boiling some with some Old Bay Seasoning, I thought about making a white shrimp pizza, but my inspiration finally came from Alexis.

Alexis and I love to spend time on the front porch. We have a swing, her sand box, chairs and plenty of room to move around and play. It's just perfect because it's completely shaded in the afternoon. We were out on the front porch enjoying a lovely summer day and she decided to taste my dill plant. She knows that she can eat anything out of my herb box. It's all organic and she can munch to her heart's delight. She hadn't tried the dill before, but that day she decided to give it a munch and low and behold she liked it! So that made me think about possibly adding some chopped dill to the shrimp and thus the idea for dinner was born!

This dish is quick, easy and healthy. Throw in some grilled asparagus and a side salad and you've got a wonderful meal!

What You'll Need:
A pound of shrimp
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons of fresh chopped dill
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Asparagus to grill

In a bowl toss cleaned and deveined shrimp together with the olive oil, dill, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper and put covered in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat your grill or grill pan (which is what I used) until hot.

Brush the grill pan/grill with a little extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle the asparagus with a little sea salt and place it on the grill first and grill for about 5-6 minutes until it is just starting to soften.

Next add the shrimp turning and cook until just pink. This will happen quickly, approximately 2-3 minutes. Don't cook them too long or they will turn rubbery.

(The burger was for Jamison! ;oP)

When the shrimp are cooked remove them from heat and serve immediately or you can serve them chilled. They are good either way!

Notes: If you don't like dill you could do this with rosemary or thyme. You could also do this with scallops instead of shrimp.

Posted by Dianne at 8:56 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

April 24, 2008

Goat Cheese and Salmon Risotto...Otherwise Known As I've Got Leftovers Now What Do I Do With Them?

Tuesday evening Alexis and I had Baked Salmon with Dill and Alexis also wanted some green peas. We happened to have both left over and I'm all about taking leftovers and making them into something new and this is what evolved.

The salmon and dill go well together and paired with the goat cheese it's just an amazing flavor combination. This is a good way to use up leftovers and it's a delicious main course or you could even us it as small portion side dish. There are lovely flecks of dill throughout and the cheese gives it just the right punch.

Who says leftovers have to be boring?

What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
4 button mushrooms, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons of dried dill
1 cup of arborio rice
Broth and/or water (Note: Any kind of broth will do. I used chicken broth.)
2 cups of green peas
1 1/2-2 cups of baked salmon (Note: If you want to make this and don't have left over salmon you can bake a salmon fillet with a little olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and some dried dill for 8-10 minutes at 350 F until it's done through and then flake the fillet with a fork.)
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of goat cheese crubmles

In a large skillet sauté onion and mushrooms until tender with a little sea salt, some freshly ground black pepper and dried dill. (Note: I like to add more dill, but if you want you can add less.) Add arborio rice and stir into the onions and mushrooms to mix.

Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring once or twice, to toast the rice a bit.

Next add enough broth or water to cover the arborio rice. (Note: Usually this about 2-3 cups of liquid.) Bring to a quick boil and them reduce to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. (Note: You may need to add more liquid as the risotto cooks. I usually start out with broth and then add 1 cup of water as needed as the process goes along. On this dish I ended up only adding 1 additional cup of water, but sometimes it may take two or three more additions of water or broth until the rice is tender.) When the rice is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed and looks a little like this:

Add the peas and salmon and stir to mix and the continue to cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Remove risotto from the heat and stir in Parmesan and goat cheese until melted and let risotto sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: Risotto is very much the mix and match dish. You could use thyme, rosemary or any other herb that strikes your fancy instead of dill. You could use chicken, scallops or shrimp instead of salmon. You could even make a completely vegetarian option using other veggies in place of meat. The possibilities are endless!

Posted by Dianne at 12:38 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

February 11, 2008

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder is one of my all time favorites. I've loved Clam Chowder since I was a child and a few years ago I tried my hand at making my own. My first attempts involved me adapting a recipe from Cooking Light that used canned clams and clam juice. From there it evolved even more.

While making chowder I had never actually made it with fresh clams. I had always wanted to try, but for some reason the thought was a bit daunting to me. The other day when Alexis and I were at the market they had some very nice, very fresh clams and I decided it was time to try my hand at chowder completely from scratch. My version is still on the light side as far as chowders go and is chunky with vegetables and clams. It's a lovely, creamy, chunky version that's also not as heavy as other chowders sometimes are.

Chowders made with canned clams and juice are great, but nothing compares to one made with fresh clams. Clams in and of themselves aren't overly expensive seafood either, so you won't break the bank. I readily find them here priced about $1 a pound, but that might not be the case in other areas of the country. If you're interested in making some chowder from scratch start watching your seafood counter and see how clams run in your area.

What You'll Need:
3-6 pounds of clams (Note: Use more if you like a lot of clams, less if you don't. Remember when you are buying your clams that the majority of the weight is in the shell, so while 3-6 pounds might seem like a lot for a small batch of chowder, in reality you aren't really putting that many clams into your pot.)
Water
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
4 ribs of celery, chopped
6 potatoes, 3 peeled and chopped, 3 peeled and left whole
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-4 cups of clam juice reserved from cooking the clams
3-4 bay leaves
1 cup of fat free half and half

When you buy your clams you want to use them immediately. The fresher the better. This is a recipe you'll want to purchase your clams and make the same day. Place clams in a large glass bowl and cover with water and ice. Let them sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This helps rinse them and let the sand settle out of them. You will see air bubbles rising to the top of the water. Don't worry...This is a good sign!

In a large stock pot cover rinsed clams with water, bring to a boil and cook until clams open. Usually about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and take clams out of the clam water, reserving clam juice for the soup. (Note: A rule of thumb to always remember with clams...Clams that are opened before they are cooked are bad so toss them!...Clams that don't open when they are cooked are bad too so toss any of those that might arise! In this batch I lost 4 clams. 3 before cooking and 1 after.)

Once the clams are cool enough to touch remove them from their shells, remove their beards (Note: You'll be able to tell which part is the clam and which part is the beard...The beard is a flowery little projections that looks like, well a beard! Alexis had a ball doing this step and was disappointed when there were no more clams to separate.) and place the clams in a large glass bowl. Cover the clams after they are separated with some cooled clam juice and set aside. I like to do this step while the soup is cooking.

In a large stock pot sauté onion, celery and cubed potatoes, with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper, until onion and celery are slightly tender, but not mushy and still have a bit of a bite to them. Cover the veggies with clam juice and add the three whole potatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender.

Once the whole potatoes are tender remove them from the pot and mash them with the half and half. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Then return this mashed mixture to the pot to help thicken the soup. Drain the clams and then stir them into the soup. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes to heat clams through. Serve immediately. (Note: Don't cook for too long after you add the clams. They get tough if cooked too long.)

Notes: Fat free half and half is great in that it gives you that creamy aspect of heavy cream without the extra fat. You could use corn starch or flour to help thicken the soup, but the potatoes give the soup a very creamy thickness that is a bit healthier than the other alternatives. Some people like to add thyme to their chowder, and while I'm a fan of thyme, I don't care for it in chowder. Ditto for nutmeg, which is also sometimes added. If I add anything to chowder other than your basic sea salt and black pepper I go for Old Bay Seasoning to give it a kick.

P.S. Don't forget Dianne's Dishes February Contest: Kids In The Kitchen for your chance to win one Pampered Chef "My Safe Cutter" along with one Pampered Chef "Kid's Apron and Chef's Hat Set"! Just leave a comment on this thread with a valid e-mail address (and don't worry, no one will see your e-mail address but me!) before 5:00 PM EST, Thursday, February 14, 2008. I'll print out the participants and my little sous chef will pull a name out of the hat. I'll e-mail that person for their address and announce the winner on Friday, February 15, 2008! Anyone anywhere on our little planet earth is eligible to enter so what are you waiting for?

Good luck! Oh and tell your friends! ;o)

P.S.S. Oh and go check out the winner of Culinate's Death by Chocolate contest!

Posted by Dianne at 9:16 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

February 7, 2008

Shrimp and Artichoke Whole Wheat Fettuccine

Fettuccine. What's not to like? But in reality it's laden with fat and calories. You can easily lighten up this dish by using whole wheat pasta and leaving off the cheese. With the garlic and the healthy fat in the olive oil, you won't miss the cheese at all!

What You'll Need Per Person: Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 of a red onion, chopped
1-2 large mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of artichoke (Note: You can cook the artichoke yourself, or get it from a can. I cooked a couple of artichokes with a little lime. sea salt and pepper and used it for this dish, but either method will work.)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6-8 shrimp
2 ounces of dry whole wheat fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package directions (Note: Reserve pasta cooking water.)
1/3 cup of pasta water

In a large skillet sauté onion, mushrooms, artichoke and garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper, until vegetables are tender.

Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes until shrimp are pink. Add cooked pasta and pasta water and toss to coat. Cook for an additional minute or two until pasta water evaporates. Serve immediately.

Notes: You could add in other vegetables if you like and if you just have to have cheese you could add in some Parmesan, but remember with the cheese you are also adding fat and calories.

P.S. Don't forget the Death by Chocolate contest over at Culinate! The voting ends tomorrow at noon, so if you haven't voted already, then hop on over and do so! You could win a trip for two to Napa's Chocolate festival at the end of February! My entry is my take on my Mom's Hot Fudge Cake.

Chocolate...What's not to like? ;o)

P.S.S. I'm finally figuring out this new version of MovableType (or more honestly I'm putting in my own html to make the entries look more like they did before the move and more like I'm accustomed to)! I'm still working out kinks here and there and there are still a few blips on the main page, but it's slowly coming together. Moving to a new server can be a pain, but I highly reccomend LivingDot if you're looking for a new server youself! They've been awesome!

Posted by Dianne at 1:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 4, 2007

Shrimp and Veggie Kabobs with Thyme

These kabobs are so versatile! You can add the veggies you like and/or meat of your choice. You can bake them, pan fry them or even cook them on the grill. It's a perfect way to utilize fresh veggies from the garden for a quick, easy dinner. Pair with some wild rice and you've got the perfect, healthy, summer meal!

What You'll Need For Two People:
1 small zucchini, cut into chunks
1 small yellow squash, cut into chunks
4 small tomatoes, your choice of type
4 whole mushrooms, your choice
2 small chunks of onion, your choice of type
8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Kabob sticks (Note: If you choose to grill the kabobs it is wise to soak the kabob sticks in water for at least 20 minutes so that they won't catch on fire.)

Preheat oven to 425 F, heat frying pan over medium heat or ready grill.

Arrange veggies on kabob stick. Brush each kabob with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme leaves, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Repeat process with shrimp by placing 4 large shrimp per kabob.

Bake vegetable kabobs for 25-30 minutes, pan fry with a little non-stick spray for 20-25 minutes or grill for 10-15 minutes until veggies are tender. Bake, pan fry or grill shrimp kabobs for 3-5 minutes until pink. Serve immediately.

Notes: I used both red and yellow tomatoes. I also used button and baby portabella mushrooms. I also chose red onion. Asparagus would be a nice addition. Leeks would be good too. Any veggies that you like works. Mix it up! You could also use chicken or beef in place of the shrimp. Beef and chicken would take longer to cook than the shrimp so they could be placed on the same kabob as the veggies.

Posted by Dianne at 7:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 6, 2007

Shrimp Salad

What better to do with left over Salt and Pepper Shrimp than make some shrimp salad! It's cool, delicious and not so bad on the waist line either. You can't go wrong with that.

What You'll Need:
2 cups of shrimp, cooked and chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 teaspoon of celery seed
1-2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning (Note: More if you like it with a zing, less if you don't. If you're not a fan of Old Bay you can leave out the seasoning and add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper instead.)
2 tablespoons of Hellmann's Light mayonnaise (Note: I use light mayo because it has 1/2 the calories and fat of regular mayo, but it still tastes like real mayo, unlike the fat free stuff that to me is too sweet! Also apparently they're known as "Best Foods" west of the Rockies, but are known as "Hellmann's" to the east...There's your useless fact for the day! ;o))

Dump ingredients into a bowl and stir to mix. Let set in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve on lettuce leaves, a split tomato or on bread as a sandwich.

This makes four generous sized servings at about 170 calories a serving without the bread. You can't beat that!

Posted by Dianne at 7:45 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 4, 2007

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Shrimp are a quick, simple and delicious addition to a healthy meal! They are perfect along with a few steamed or baked veggies. They are even good the next day right out of the fridge! What's not to like?

What You'll Need:
Shrimp
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Rinse and dry shrimp. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. (2 pounds to 1 tablespoon ratio.) Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Bake for 3-5 minutes just until shrimp turn pink. (Note: Don't overcook or the shrimp will become rubbery. Keep an eye on them and as soon as they turn pink bring them out!)

How is that for fast, easy and delicious?

Notes: Jumbo shrimp work the best. Don't want to heat up the oven? You could easily do this in a steamer as well. Just steam for 4-5 minutes until pink. You could also put them on a skewer and do them outside on the grill. The guy at the fish counter said you should figure one pound of shrimp per persons served so I bought a pound for Alexis and I, but it could have easily fed 3 or 4 grown people along with the steamed veggies.

Posted by Dianne at 9:03 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

March 23, 2007

Crab Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

This recipe is a cross between deviled crabs and crab cakes, nested on a portabella mushroom cap. I initially got the idea a few years ago when watching Rachel Ray (Note: This was a LONG time ago given now I can't even see her without immediately flinching. Good God, that woman is annoying!) and I tweaked majorly, because her recipes often don't turn out the way they are supposed to. It's hearty enough to easily be a main dish.

What You'll Need:
1 cup of lump crabmeat (Note: NOT imitation crab.)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 a bell pepper, chopped
1/2 a red onion, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 slice of whole grain bread, toasted and crumbled into bread crumbs
1-2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning (In my opinion the more the better, but it's a little spicy so if you're not into that then go with less)
A pinch of sea salt
2 large portabella mushroom caps
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a baking dish place two portabella mushroom caps gill side up and set aside.

In a bowl mix all ingredients except for olive oil and mushrooms. Stir to incorporate thoroughly and spoon mixture evenly between the two mushrooms to form a mound. Sprinkle with some extra virgin olive oil and bake for 15-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes two servings.

Posted by Dianne at 9:03 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

March 21, 2007

Manhattan Seafood Chowder

I was in the mood for a tomatoey seafood soup the other night, instead of a cream based one, and I came up with this little gem. It's warm, hearty and delicious!

What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a large yellow onion, chopped
1 large rib of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 medium sized potato, peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup of frozen corn
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 -15 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 - 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of crab meat (Note: NOT imitation crab. Real crabmeat. I used claw meat.)
10-15 cherrystone clams, rinsed and debearded
1-2 cups of small bay scallops
1-2 cups of small shrimp

Sauté onion and celery in extra virgin olive oil until tender. Add potatoes through vegetable broth and cook for at least 1 hour. Add crab and stir to mix. Add clams and cook until clams open. Once open remove the clams from the soup and take them out of their shell and put back into the soup. If a clam doesn't open then toss it, it's not good. Stir in scallops and shrimp and cook until done. (It usually takes about 3-5 minutes for shrimp and scallops to cook.) Serve warm.

Posted by Dianne at 12:35 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

March 19, 2007

Dublin Lawyer

And last but not least of our Saint Patrick's Day feast was the Dublin Lawyer! I would guess that it is named thusly since lobster is a bit pricey and lawyers usually make good money, but I'm completely guessing on that front! It's creamy, rich and oh so delicious! A little most definitely goes a long way!

But truly the most fun part about this dish is you get the set it on fire! I've never made a dish you had to do that with before, but I've always wanted to! And on Saturday I finally got to give it a whirl! ;o)

What You'll Need:
1- 1/2 to 1 pound lobster, steamed and meat removed
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2-3/4 cup of Jameson Irish Whiskey
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of unbleached all purpose flour

Melt butter and stir in lobster meat into a skillet. Add whiskey and flame the dish:

Yes, my friends you're going to light it on fire! (Jamison actually lit it...I think he was afraid I would blow up the kitchen! ;oP Alexis thought it was a hoot that there was a fire burning on the stove top!) Let the flame burn until the alcohol is burned off and the fire extinguishes itself. Add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Mix heavy cream with flour until smooth and pour into the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened. Serve warm.

Posted by Dianne at 9:56 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

February 23, 2007

Baked Salmon Dip

I LOVE salmon! But I don't like it smoked and I don't like the stuff they put into a can. It's a waste of perfectly good salmon! Over the years most of the salmon dip recipes that I came across called for either smoked or canned salmon and that just wouldn't work. So I came up with this little recipe. I play with it from time to time, but it's delicious none the less!

What You'll Need:
1 - 8 ounce package of light cream cheese, softened
1/2 a red onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried dill (at least)
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 baked salmon filet, skin removed and flaked

In a bowl cream cream cheese until smooth and set aside.

Chop red onions and microwave for 1-2 minutes until tender, but the onions retain their color. (This helps take a little of the bite out of them.) Add chopped scallions to the bowl with red onions and microwave for 30 seconds to a minute. Stir cooked onions into the cream cheese mixture until mixed. Stir in seasonings and mix well. Last add flaked salmon and stir until just mixed so as not to completely tear apart the salmon pieces. Serve with crudités and/or bread and crackers.

Note: Baking salmon is easy. Just take a salmon steak, drizzle it with a little olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and dill (optional) and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 F or until done.

Posted by Dianne at 9:15 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

February 20, 2007

Garlic Shrimp Pasta With Homemade Spaghetti Noodles

A few years ago Jamison got me a pasta maker for Christmas. I got it out one day to use it and found out that the first batch can't be eaten because you have to use the dough to clean the oil out of the machine and I hadn't gotten back to it given life is just sometimes crazy. Yesterday I finally had time to get it back out and make some pasta! Alexis "helped" me so the noodles didn't turn out nice and long because they were just play dough to her, but they were delicious none the less! I HIGHLY recommend fresh pasta! It was easy, cooked up in no time and was delicious to boot!

What You'll Need For the Pasta:

I used the recipe off the back of the Bob's Red Mill Semolina Flour package, minus the salt, but I did things a little differently from the instructions.

1 1/2 cups of Semolina flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of water

Process ingredients in a food processor until a ball forms. Remove and knead for 5 minutes. Roll into a ball and put into a bowl oiled with olive oil and let sit covered for 1 hour.

After at least and hour remove pasta ball from bowl and cut in half. Cut each half into half again. Press pasta flat and run through your pasta maker a few times to make a long flat noodle.

Once the noodle is flat run through the pasta cutter of your choice. My machine has spaghetti and fettuccini on the attachment I currently have. I chose the spaghetti setting.

Lay noodles flat as you cut them to prevent them from sticking together and cook in boiling water with a little salt for 2-4 minutes. Fresh noodles cook MUCH faster than the dried equivalent, so keep an eye on them!

Once cooked top with the pasta sauce of your choice.

What You'll Need For the Garlic Shrimp Per Person:
Extra virgin olive oil
2 gloves of garlic
2 scallions
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6-8 shrimp
1 1/2 cups of cooked pasta
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of chopped parsley

Sauté garlic and scallions in a little olive oil until just tender. Add a pinch of sea salt, ground pepper and the shrimp and cook until shrimp are just pink. Add noodles, cheese and parsley and cook until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Posted by Dianne at 9:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 11, 2007

Mushroom Lobster Risotto

While surfing the food blogs the other day I came across this Lobster Risotto recipe and I was immediately intrigued! My brain immediately started working and I came up with my own little twist of the recipe! It's warm, satisfying and oh so good!

What You'll Need:
2 large lobster tails
Extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 large button mushrooms, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 - 16 ounce package of risotto rice (Usually labeled Arborio if it doesn't say risotto on the package)
1 1/2 cups of warm water, plus more as you cook the risotto (we'll discuss this in the recipe itself)
1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
5 ounces of Parmesan cheese
Flat leaf parsley, chopped

Steam lobster tails until done and cool. Remove shells and chop meat into bite sized pieces.

In a large pot over medium heat sauté onion, mushroom and garlic with sea salt and black pepper in olive oil until tender. Stir in risotto and let cook for 5 minutes or so to toast the grains. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of warm water and cook stirring occasionally until water evaporates. Add another cup of water and repeat. Keep doing this until the rice is almost tender (about 35-40 minutes).

Stir in peas and lobster and cook for 5 minutes or until rice is completely tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley and let sit for about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes: The original recipe called for beer, but I didn't have any on hand and forgot to pick some up while I was out. You could also do this with the broth of your choice for the 1 1/2 cups of initial liquid and add water there after. You could also add in shrimp or any other seafood along with the lobster or in place of the lobster.

Posted by Dianne at 11:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 4, 2007

Dianne's Kicked Up Clam Chowder

I love New England clam chowder. I mean I LOVE it! I have loved New England clam chowder since I was a child and for years I have ordered it at restaurants whenever I had the chance. A few years ago I set out to make some myself. I'll admit at first I was a bit intimidated, because it's yet another one of those recipes that have a "hard" mystique about it, though it's a mystique that is unfounded as I've found with many recipes over the years that have that aura about them . So I developed a basic clam chowder that was creamy and good!

A year or so ago I happened to try the clam chowder at Outback Steakhouse and it had a zing to it. It took me about two seconds to realize their "zing" was Old Bay Seasoning or something like it and I decided to take my basic clam chowder recipe and add a little Old Bay and see what happened. The results were delicious!

What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 large celery ribs or 4 small ribs, chopped
1 potato, unpeeled and cut into small cubes
1 pinch of sea salt
1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of Old Bay Seasoning (Add the amount of Old Bay in preference to your own tastes. If you want it a bit zingier go for the tablespoon, less so go for the teaspoons instead.)
1/4 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
2 - 8 ounce bottles of clam juice
1/2 a quart of half and half
3 bay leaves
1 -15 ounce cans of steamer or baby clams, drained and rinsed(If you're in the mood for bigger clams go for the steamers. If you've in the mood for small bits of clams then go for the baby clams. Last night I chose the steamer clams.)

In a large stock pot over medium heat sauté onion, celery and potato with salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning until tender, but celery and onion still retain some of their color. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add clam juice, half and half and bay leaves and bring to a quick boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook covered stirring occasionally for 30-40 minutes. Add clams and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes and serve immediately.

Notes: I drain and rinse my clams because sometimes there is some residual sand and it's always better to wash that away.

You add the clams at the last minure because you just want them to heat through since they are already cooked. You don't want them to get too tough.

You can also serve this with chopped parsley if you like.

If you leave out the Old Bay seasoning you have just basic New England clam chowder.

One day I'm going to make it starting with fresh clams, but I haven't gotten that brave yet.

Posted by Dianne at 1:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack