Seafood & Fish – Page 5 – Rants Raves and Recipes

February 12, 2015

Best Baked Stuffed Clams

Many years ago when we lived on Long Island, there was a shopping center a few blocks from our house. It was one of the last of the community designed shopping centers built by William Levitt. At one end was a local tavern with a rather large backroom which the owner had converted into a dining room, hiring a young chef and serving pretty good meals. With two babies in tow it was a great place to get an early dinner, as it was never busy until later in the evening.

I have always been a “baked clam junkie”and the baked clams here were the “best”. One night I asked the waitress if I could get the recipe for them from the chef. Fearing it was a competitor trying to steal his recipe he came out of the kitchen to question me. I told him that I thought his were the absolute best and that I had no plans to market them in another restaurant. Satisfied with my explanation he went back to the kitchen and on a kitchen dupe wrote the recipe. He said that he originally had gotten the recipe from the New York Times cook book. I eventually had to have the dupe laminated to preserve it and still have it in the recipe box. Since he made rather large quantities he didn’t provide amounts of ingredients just a broad view of what was in them and the process to prepare. It wasn’t hard to adapt the recipe to smaller quantities and has been a favorite of ours for many many years.

They make a great appetizer, or serving a couple they make a nice dinner, and occasionally to make them truly elegant I top them with Hollandaise sauce for a decadent treat. You can get fresh clams and open them yourself and save the shells to reuse, or use large scallop shells which are easier to find, or even place in ramekins, the choice is yours.

The amounts for the recipe are not written in stone. If you want to add more garlic feel free, a little more basil OK!, less clam liquor perfectly fine, it’s all about how the final dish tastes to you. Remember there are no baked clam police lurking outside your kitchen door.

Ingredients for Baked Stuffed Clams

4 Tbs butter
2 medium onions diced
3 stalks celery finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic finely diced
2 tsp each salt & pepper
2 Tbs dried basil
2 Tbs dried parsley
4 thin slices ham chopped (appox 1-1½ cups)
4 oz chopped pimientos
½ cup white wine
4 Tbs Parmesan cheese + more for topping
1 -3 cups Italian style bread crumbs
4 cans chopped clams with ½ the juice reserved
Sliced lemon or lime

Directions for Baked Stuffed Clams

This recipe will make over 2 dozen stuffed clam shells or about 9-10 filled scallop shells.

In a large sauté pan melt the butter, add the onions, celery, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are wilted and the onions translucent.

Now add the ham , basil, parsley, pimientos and cook for about 2 -3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and remove from the heat.

Empty into a large bowl when slightly cooled add the Parmesan and clams and juice.

Slowly add the bread crumbs until you have no liquid visible and the mixture is still fairly moist.

Spoon into shells. Sprinkle more Parmesan over the top of each. At this point you can cover and refrigerate until needed.

Heat oven to 425º place the shells on a sheet pan in the center of the oven and bake 10 – 15 minutes until cheese on top is melted and clams are hot.

Serve with wedges of sliced lemon or lime.

Here are a few items that can help make this recipe:
Harold Imports Natural Baking Shells Set of 4
Cuisinart 722-36H Chef’s Classic Stainless 14-Inch Open Skillet with Helper Handle

Not exactly Prime Rib, but every one else seems to like them. Tomorrow a little less surf and a lot more turf please!

Yum

Best Baked Stuffed Clams

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Best Baked Stuffed Clams

Ingredients

4 Tbs butter
2 medium onions diced
3 stalks celery finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic finely diced
2 tsp each salt & pepper
2 Tbs dried basil
2 Tbs dried parsley
4 thin slices ham chopped (appox 1-1½ cups)
4 oz chopped pimientos
½ cup white wine
4 Tbs Parmesan cheese + more for topping
1 -3 cups Italian style bread crumbs
4 cans chopped clams with ½ the juice reserved
Sliced lemon or lime

Instructions

This recipe will make over 2 dozen stuffed clam shells or about 9-10 filled scallop shells.
In a large sauté pan melt the butter, add the onions, celery, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are wilted and the onions translucent.
Now add the ham , basil, parsley, pimientos and cook for about 2 -3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and remove from the heat.
Empty into a large bowl when slightly cooled add the Parmesan and clams and juice.
Slowly add the bread crumbs until you have no liquid visible and the mixture is still fairly moist.
Spoon into shells. Sprinkle more Parmesan over the top of each. At this point you can cover and refrigerate until needed.
Heat oven to 425º place the shells on a sheet pan in the center of the oven and bake 10 - 15 minutes until cheese on top is melted and clams are hot.
Serve with wedges of sliced lemon or lime.

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November 22, 2014

Coquilles St. Jacques

Coquilles St. Jacques and scallops Mornay are two delicious scallop dishes, similar yet distinctive. The cheesy flavor of mornay or the subtle flavors of the stock in the Coquille St Jacques. Both are satisfying yet I think there is more flavor in the Coquille St Jacques. It gets it flavor from the velouté sauce at it’s base. A little bit of work but worth the effort.

It can be served as an appetizer or a main course. 1½ pounds of scallops will produce 8 appetizers or a main course for 4.

Ingredients for Coquilles St. Jacques

1 ½ pounds bay scallops rinsed
¾ cup white wine
1 -1½ cups water
1 bay leaf
1 shallot minced
½ tsp salt
¾ cup Heavy cream
4 Tbs butter
4 Tbs flour (all purpose)
salt & pepper to taste
1-1½ cups shredded swiss or gruyére

Directions for Coquilles St. Jacques

In a large sauce pan combine the wine, water, bay leaf, shallot and about ½ tsp of salt. Bring the mixture up to a slow simmer and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the scallops to the broth and bring back up to a simmer. Once a simmer is reached cook for about 1 minute then remove from heat and allow scallops and broth to cool for about ten minutes.

After ten minutes remove the scallops to a bowl and return the liquid to heat bringing up to a boil and reduce until you have about 1 cup of liquid remaining.

While the liquid is reducing, in another sauce pan place the butter and when melted add the flour and mix and cook until all the flour is combined and begins to slightly brown.

Once the liquid is reduced, off heat add to the butter& flour roux and whisk to combine, then add the heavy cream and stirring constantly put back on heat and slowly up to a boil. As it reaches boiling it will begin to thicken. When thickened remove from heat and add about ¼ cup of the cheese, stirring to melt an combine. Add in the scallops and mix completely.

Ladle equal amounts of the mixture into scallop shells or ramekins, spoon remaining sauce over the top and divided the rest of the cheese over the top of each shell or ramekin.

At this point the dish may be set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To cook set your broiler on high and broil the scallops 4-10 minutes depending on how far from the heat you have them. They are done when the cheese begins to lightly brown and the sauce is bubbling. If broiling directly from making, keep them close to the heat to brown the top. If the scallops are room temperature lower them so they can heat up before the tops begin to brown.

Here are a few items to help make this dish:
Fox Run Large Natural Baking Shells, Set of 4
BonJour Crème Brûlée Set Deluxe with Culinary Torch and 4 Oval Ramekins
Calphalon Unison Nonstick 2 Qt. Sauce Pan with Cover

My nonchalant pose while waiting to “go to work”. A very nice slightly cheesy cream sauce was quite the surprise even the little white things weren’t too bad, soooo 5 paws.

Coquilles St. Jacques

2014-11-22 18:21:06

Yields 8

An elegant appetizer or a filling main course

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Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

40 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

40 min

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds bay scallops rinsed
¾ cup white wine
1 -1½ cups water
1 bay leaf
1 shallot minced
½ tsp salt
¾ cup Heavy cream
4 Tbs butter
4 Tbs flour (all purpose)
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup shredded swiss or gruyére

Instructions

In a large sauce pan combine the wine, water, bay leaf, shallot and about ½ tsp of salt. Bring the mixture up to a slow simmer and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the scallops to the broth and bring back up to a simmer. Once a simmer is reached cook for about 1 minute then remove from heat and allow scallops and broth to cool for about ten minutes.
After ten minutes remove the scallops to a bowl and return the liquid to heat bringing up to a boil and reduce until you have about 1 cup of liquid remaining.
While the liquid is reducing, in another sauce pan place the butter and when melted add the flour and mix and cook until all the flour is combined and begins to slightly brown.
Once the liquid is reduced, off heat add to the butter& flour roux and whisk to combine, then add the heavy cream and stirring constantly put back on heat and slowly up to a boil. As it reaches boiling it will begin to thicken. When thickened remove from heat and add about ¼ cup of the cheese, stirring to melt an combine. Add in the scallops and mix completely.
Ladle equal amounts into scallop shells or ramekins, spoon remaining sauce over the top and divided the rest of the cheese over the top of each shell or ramekin.
At this point the dish may be set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To cook set your broiler on high and broil the scallops 4-10 minutes depending on how far from the heat you have them. They are done when the cheese begins to lightly brown and the sauce is bubbling. If broiling directly from making, keep them close to the heat to brown the top. If the scallops are room temperature lower them so they can heat up before the tops begin to brown, the sauce should be bubbly and the cheese a light brown when served.

Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

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November 15, 2014November 18, 2014

Broiled Flounder Amandine

Broiled Flounder Amandine

This is truly one of my most favorite meals, from long ago when I was first introduced to it when traveling with my grandparents. It is such a simple preparation and yet sounds so exoctic and is truly delicious. The nutty butter with the hint of lemon and almonds turns a simple fillet of fish into a gourmet delight!

It works well with just about any white fleshed fish. Dover sole, flounder, catfish, grouper to name a few. The recipe that follows is for 2 portions a 6 – 8 ounce fillet each, if serving more simply multiply the ingredients.

Ingredients for Broiled Flounder Amandine

1 or 2 fillets of fish per person depending on size, 6- 8 ounces
6 Tbs butter
2-3 Tbs lemon juice
4 Tbs chopped curly parsley
1/4 cup or more of toasted almonds

Directions for Broiled Flounder Amandine

In a small fry pan on medium heat toast the almonds until they begin to brown lightly. Once they begin to brown remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool.

In a fry pan place the butter and on medium heat lightly brown the butter. When the butter solids begin to brown take off heat and add the lemon juice. Set aside until the fish are almost cooked through. Do not allow the butter to burn.

Broil or pan fry the fish.

When the fish are about 2 minutes from being done bring the butter up to heat, and when hot add the parsley and allow it to crisp. Once the fish are cooked, plate. Add the almonds to the butter, stir to combine and spoon over the fish and serve.

Here are a few items to help with this recipe:
T-fal E93808 Professional Total Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Oven Safe Dishwasher Safe PFOA Free Cookware Fry Pan / Saute Pan, 12-Inch, Black
OXO Good Grips Fish Turner

Nutty butter sauce with a delicate fish, even I know it’s a winner. 5 paws

Broiled Flounder Amandine

2014-11-15 23:59:31

Serves 2

perfectly cooked fish with a nutty butter flavored sauce

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

Ingredients are for 2 servings, if making more simply multiply the ingredients.
1 or 2 fillets of fish per person depending on size, 6- 8 ounces
6 Tbs butter
2-3 Tbs lemon juice
4 Tbs chopped curly parsley
1/4 cup or more of toasted almonds

Instructions

In a small fry pan on medium heat toast the almonds until they begin to brown lightly. Once they begin to brown remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool.
In a fry pan place the butter and on medium heat lightly brown the butter. When it begins to brown take off heat and add the lemon juice. Set aside until the fish are almost cooked through.
Broil or pan fry the fish.
When the fish are about 2 minutes from being done bring the butter up to heat when hot add the parsley and allow it to crisp. Once the fish are cooked, plate. Add the almonds to the butter, stir to combine and spoon over the fish and serve.

Notes

Can be used with any white flesh fish

Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site. It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .

Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.