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Recipes tested---
Clam Chowder
Serves 8 generously
Here on Cape Cod there are as many recipes for clam
chowder as there are clams in the sea. This one
takes the very best elements of several dozen
versions and puts together to make a creamy, rich
meal in a bowl that New Yorkers will have to admit
beats anything with tomatoes.
Although you can certainly start by digging and
shucking own clams, most fish stores and many
supermarkets shucked, chopped clams-my preference.
While some call for thickening clam chowder with
flour, I don't the library paste texture that can
result (actually, I like to use any thickener at
all), so those of you who are used to the thick
consistency of many commercial varieties will find
this soup on the thin side. If you wish to it up,
see the instructions at the end of the recipe
3 ounces salt pork or thick slab bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped into medium
dice
3 stalks celery (with leaves), rinsed and cut into
small dice
3 cups Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch
cubes
4 cups bottled clam juice
1 1/2 pints (3 cups) chopped fresh clams, drained,
liquid reserved
2 cups whole milk
4 cups light cream
Salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into slices, for
garnish
Paprika for garnish
Place the salt pork or bacon in a heavy skillet and
set over moderate heat. Cook, stirring occasionally,
until the meat is brown and crisp; then use a
slotted spoon to remove it to a paper towel to
drain. Add the onion and celery to the drippings and
cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until
they are wilted and the onion is golden. Use the
slotted spoon to add the cooked salt pork or bacon
and vegetables to a soup kettle. Discard the fat in
the saute pan and scrape any of the brown drippings
that remain into the soup kettle. Add the potatoes
and clam juice (both the bottled juice and the
liquid reserved from the fresh clams). Set the
kettle over high heat, cover, and bring to a rapid
simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 15 to 2o
minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in
the milk and cream and heat, uncovered, without
allowing the mixture to boil. When the mixture is
hot, add the clams and cook for another 5 minutes
without boiling. Season with salt and pepper to
taste. Serve immediately, ladling the chowder into
heated bowls and garnishing each with a pat of
butter and a sprinkling of paprika.
For a thicker chowder, add 3 tablespoons all-purpose
flour to the pan after you have cooked and removed
the salt pork and drained off all but 3 tablespoons
of the fat. Whisk continuously over moderate heat
until the mixture is smooth. Cook 5 minutes,
stirring constantly. Add this slurry to the chowder
after the potatoes have been cooked, and stir well
to combine. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring
constantly, until the chowder is slightly thickened
before adding the remaining ingredients.
Sea Bass Poached in Ginger Fish Broth with Cilantro
Pesto
Serves 6
Sea bass is tender and flavorful and, most
important. sturdy enough to be steamed without
falling apart In this recipe, created for my son
Max, fragrant ginger infused shrimp broth surrounds
the lovely white fish along with accents of yellow
and green from both kinds of squash, the bright red
of the cherry tomatoes, and the vivid green of the
cilantro pesto. The broth can be made a day ahead
and kept refrigerated until ready to use. The same
is true for the cilantro pesto.
For the shrimp broth:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery with leaves, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely
chopped
8 ounces shrimp, in the shell
4 anchovies in oil
2 cups dry white wine
10 cups water
1 cup clam juice (fresh, bottled, or reconstituted)
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pesto:
1 cup cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup mild olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for
drizzling
For poaching the fish:
1 cup clam juice (fresh, bottled, or reconstituted)
1 cup water
24 littleneck clams
3 pounds boneless sea bass, cut into six 8-ounce
portions
4 small, tender zucchini, cut into small dice
4 small, tender yellow squash, cut into small dice
6 Red Bliss or new potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch
slices and steamed until just tender
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
To make the shrimp broth: Heat the oil in a large
saucepan set over high heat. Add the onions,
carrots, and celery and cook for 5 to 7 minutes,
stirring frequently with a wooden or heatproof
plastic spoon, until the onions are limp and just
beginning to turn golden. Lower the heat to medium
and add the garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes,
stirring frequently to avoid letting the garlic turn
brown. Add the ginger, shrimp, and anchovies and
cook for 5 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally.
Add the white wine and stir the mixture, scraping
the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer
and cook until the wine is reduced by two-thirds.
Add the water and clam juice, bring to a boil, and
turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered,
for 45 minutes over low heat. Add the lemon juice
and continue to simmer until you have about 8 cups
of liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Strain the broth through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh
sieve. You should have 8 cups. If you are not
proceeding with the rest of the recipe until later,
pour the broth into a metal bowl, cover with foil,
and refrigerate immediately. Since the shrimp have
given up all their flavor to the stock, they will
now be tasteless (and tough) and should be
discarded.
To make the pesto: Add the cilantro, garlic, lemon
zest, and salt to the work bowl of a food processor
fitted with the metal blade. Pulse to combine. With
the motor running, pour the olive oil through the
feed tube in a slow, steady stream, processing until
it is absorbed. Pour and scrape the mixture into a
small plastic container. Drizzle a tablespoon of
olive oil onto the surface and place a piece of
plastic wrap over and touching the surface, to keep
the mixture from discoloring.
To poach the fish: Add the clam juice and water to a
large pot placed over high heat. When the mixture
comes to a rapid boil, add the clams, cover, and
return to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 to 12
minutes, or until the clams open. Remove the pan
from the heat and keep it covered while you prepare
the fish.
Bring the shrimp broth to a gentle simmer in a large
skillet. Add the fish, cover the pan, and cook at a
gentle simmer until the fish is cooked through, 15
to 18 minutes. Add the zucchini, yellow squash,
potatoes, and cherry tomatoes at the very end of the
cooking time and simmer for 1 or 2 minutes, until
the vegetables are al dente.
Use a slotted spoon to place a piece of fish and
some of the vegetables in each of 6 rimmed soup
plates or shallow bowls. Place 4 clams around the
edge of the fish and spoon the hot broth over all.
Top with a dollop of cilantro pesto.
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