Recipes, Dinner Ideas & Menus

The recipes section includes posts and articles that cover tips, tutorials and best practices for various areas of how to properly and successfully turn what was once a recipe on paper or a computer screen into a work of art. Discussion includes how to ask the right questions, how to seek the correct answers, how to define various culinary terms and more. Additional topics include personal development in the culinary arena as well as coverage of online communities that assist with the training of professional chefs and well as home cooks.

Classic Seafood Chowder Recipe

January 5, 2019

I’m still thinking about last night’s dinner. It was so filling and it hit just the right spot. Do you know how some food fills you up, but doesn’t fill you up at your core? Like, it satisfies you for the moment, but you’re hungry pretty soon afterward? Well, there’s a lot of protein and potatoes in the soup that I’m about to show you below and all that put a smile on my face. I wasn’t hungry all night after eating a bowl if it and I can’t wait to dig into the leftovers tonight.

The Recipe

A few days ago, I found a fairly simple recipe for a really great looking lobster chowder. I browsed through the ingredients and said to myself, “I can do that.” I’ll admit that I was hesitant when it came to the actual lobster meat because I’m not a huge fan of dealing with live lobster and the meat is wicked expensive anyway. As a backup, I figured that I could use shrimp and cod as a substitute. Those two would be much less expensive than the lobster. As it turns out, I couldn’t find any lobster meat at the grocery store anyway, so I ended up going with the shrimp and cod. The soup was still very good, but I had to change the name from “Lobster Chowder” to “Seafood Chowder.” And the best part is, I plan on making this same soup in the future with different types of seafood. I’m thinking clams, mussels, lobster and varieties of white fish. Pretty much anything can go with the standard potato base.

This soup was surprisingly tasty. The liquid in the soup is partly evaporated milk and it’s got some basil, salt and pepper to add to the wonder. Those ingredients, combined with butter and the seafood make everything simply satisfying. This one is definitely on my “make again” list.

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

6 Cups Water
1 Large Sweet Onion, Chopped
6 Red Potatoes, Diced
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
8 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Pound Shrimp, Peeled
1 Pound Cod, Cut into Chunks
1/2 Cup Whole Kernel Corn
1 12-Ounce Evaporated Milk
1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley (Optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank New England Today for this recipe. I found three soups that looked good on their website, so those are what I’ll be sharing this week.

Soften the Potatoes

Add the water, onion, potatoes, salt, pepper and basil to a large pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat. When it’s boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let everything cook for 15 minutes.

Cook the Shrimp & Cod

Add the butter, shrimp and cod to a large skillet and warm the skillet over medium-high heat. Stir these ingredients gently for about five minutes or until the seafood is fully cooked through.

Add Ingredients to Pot

With the pot ingredients still simmering, add in the corn and the seafood and butter. Continue simmering everything for another 15 minutes. Then, add in the evaporated milk, stir and turn off the heat.

Plate & Serve

Divide the soup between bowls and serve. As you can see, I added some chopped parsley to jazz things up. Feel free to do that too. You can also season with salt and pepper to taste.

The Final Seafood Chowder

I love this soup. As I said above, I’m going to experiment with it and when I do, I’ll bring you the results. If you try this one out, please let me know your thoughts down in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

Spaghetti with Artichokes in Sauce Recipe

December 31, 2018

I made an interesting pasta dish the other night. I’m still thinking about what to make of it. I mean, it was good, but it wasn’t like the more traditional pasta dishes I’ve prepared in the past. The sauce wasn’t “sauce,” per se. It was more like softened vegetables in sort of like a broth. The best part of the dish was the artichokes, but I may be a bit biased here. I just love artichokes.

The Recipe

I’m going to say this dish was good. While it didn’t knock my socks off, it was a quality pasta dish. I don’t think I served it correctly, so any hesitation I have surrounds that fact as opposed to the taste or anything like that. All the flavors were there, but I didn’t mix the sauce and artichokes in like I was supposed to. When taking photos for this blog, I have to make things look somewhat presentable as best I can, so sometimes things aren’t mixed as well as they should be. If I were to prepare this dish again, I’d toss everything in a large bowl at the end and then divide that between bowls. That would be much better. I’d also add more olive oil to things because that’s just the best. I’ll adjust the recipe below to deal with these issues.

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

1 Pound Dry Spaghetti
2 16-Ounce Cans Halved Artichokes, Drained
4 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil + 1/4 Cup For Dressing
1 Large Sweet Onion, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Garlic, Minced
1 28-Ounce Can Chopped Tomatoes, Drained
1 Cup Carrots, Diced
1 Cup Celery, Diced
1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth
Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Carlo Bernasconi and Christian Teubner for their resource called The Complete Italian Cookbook. This one keeps me entertained with flipping through great recipes. That’s for sure.

Make the Sauce

Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then, when the pan is to temperature, add in two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and let simmer for about three minutes.

Next, add in the carrot and celery and stir all the ingredients together. Let them simmer for another five to eight minutes. The goal is to lightly brown some things to add a bit of flavor.

Finally, add in the tomatoes, broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper and let everything simmer for ten minutes to fully soften the vegetables. When finished, transfer the contents of the skillet to a large bowl.

Brown the Artichoke

Warm a skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and then add in the artichoke. Fry the artichoke for about five minutes or until you see some brown edges on them. When you do, turn off the heat and transfer them to the same bowl as the other ingredients.

Cook the Pasta

While all the above is going on, fill a large pot with four quarts of water, along with one tablespoon salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, add in the pasta and let cook for ten to 11 minutes, or until al dente. When finished, strain the pasta through a colander and then add it to the bowl with everything else. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and mix the ingredients well.

Plate & Serve

Divide the contents of the bowl between plates and enjoy!

The Final Spaghetti & Artichoke Dinner

I think the addition of the olive oil at the end as well as the tossing everything together will bring this dish home. If you decide to dive this recipe a try, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below. Thanks for reading!

Shrimp Waldorf Salad Recipe

December 27, 2018

I’m not sure I ever knew what a “Waldorf” salad was before this Christmas. I mean, I’ve heard of this type of salad, but I don’t think I knew the definition of it. Apparently, a Waldorf salad is a salad that’s made with fruit and nuts and that’s dressed in mayonnaise. It’s served on a bed of lettuce and the fruit usually includes apples and grapes. You can add what you like and some people choose to include a protein such as chicken or shrimp. In our case, we chose shrimp, which was just perfect.

The Recipe

I enjoyed this salad a lot. It’s not fluffy and airy and made of all lettuce. It’s heavy and rich and each bite is a mouthful. It’s a substantial salad, especially with the shrimp. Any salad that includes apples, grapes, nuts and shrimp is going to be good in my book. What I especially enjoyed though was the heavier dressing. I eat variations of salads pretty much every single night of my life and so many of them are tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, which is good, but not as good as a mayonnaise based dressing. And just wait until you see the dressing for this recipe. It’s not just mayonnaise. It’s got coconut milk, garlic, chives, parsley and so much more in it. It’s very rewarding, if that makes any sense. Let’s just say, it’s good. You’ll like it.

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

For the Salad

1 Cup Red Grapes, Halved
2 Celery Stalks, Sliced Thin
1 Green Apple, Cored and Diced
1/2 Cup Walnuts, Chopped
4 Cups Baby Greens, Packed
1 Pound Medium/Large Cooked Shrimp, Tails Removed

For the Dressing

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
1 Garlic Clove, Minced
2 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Chives, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Dill, Chopped
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’m not sure who to thank for this recipe. We found it online somewhere and then we added our own twist to things. So thank you whoever initially came up with the idea for a Waldorf salad.

Prepare the Dressing

In a medium sized bowl, add all the dressing ingredients and mix together well.

Toss All Ingredients

You’ll only need about half of the dressing for this step. Take half the dressing and toss it in a large bowl with all the salad ingredients.

Plate & Serve

Divide salad between bowls. If you want, you can add more dressing to each individual salad. Also, season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve and enjoy!

The Final Waldorf Salad

I have to say, this was a relatively simple salad to put together. The original recipe wanted me to make the mayonnaise by hand, but I decided to keep things sane. What I used worked out well. If you decide to try this recipe out, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below. Thanks for reading!

Fettuccini with Caper Sauce & Parmesan Recipe

December 24, 2018

I’m writing this post on Christmas Eve. I’m thinking about all the food I need to prepare for tomorrow. It’s going to be incredible. We’ve got some cranberry salmon as the main entree, some tsimmes, roasted balsamic sweet potatoes and cauliflower stuffing as the sides. For good measure, I’m even throwing in an awesome cranberry and apple chutney. For dessert, we’ll be preparing white chocolate mousse with blackberries, strawberries and blueberries and as a second dessert, I’ll be making the famous fruit dish with basil that I made last year for Thanksgiving. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out. Having recipes I know I like to draw from is one of the greatest enjoyments I get from this blog. I absolutely love browsing through it as the holidays approach.

Okay, I know that first paragraph had nothing to do with the pasta dish I’m about to share below, but I’m excited, as if you couldn’t tell.

The Recipe

Today’s dish is excellent. I prepared it last night for dinner and I was very pleased with it. It’s extraordinarily simple to put together and the taste is out of the world. I’m not sure I ever doubted that because the ingredients include capers, black olives, shallots, diced tomatoes, a red bell pepper and some optional anchovies. Each and every one of these ingredients offers its own unique flavor and combined, they blew me away. They created a sauce that I mixed in with the fettuccine and again, I just have to say I loved it. Lots of salt and lots of flavor.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

4 Tablespoons Capers, Minced
1/2 Cup Black Olives, Diced
12 Anchovy Fillets, Chopped
6 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Garlic, Minced
2 Shallots, Chopped
1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
1 Large Red Bell Pepper, Seeded and Chopped
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese, Shaved

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Carlo Bernasconi and Christian Teubner for the wonderful resource called The Complete Italian Cookbook. This recipe is another winner.

Prepare the Sauce

Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add four tablespoons of the olive oil to the pan and then add in the shallots and the garlic. Stir and simmer these ingredients for about three minutes. Then, add in the capers, olives and the anchovies. Continue stirring for another three minutes. Finally, add in the tomatoes and red bell pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring intermittently for 15 minutes. When finished, turn off the heat.

Cook the Pasta

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water. Add the pasta, stir and let it cook for 11 minutes. When it’s al dente, strain the pasta through a colander.

When finished with that, transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add in the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil as well as the sauce from the skillet. Mix everything together and then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Plate & Serve

Divide the pasta and sauce between bowls or plates. Add some shaved Parmesan cheese to each dish and serve. Enjoy!

The Final Fettuccine & Caper Sauce

As you can imagine, this sauce has got tons of flavor. It’s got a bit of uniqueness too because of the interesting ingredients. If you decide to try this recipe out, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below. Thanks for reading!

Asparagus & Baked Salmon Penne Pasta Salad Recipe

December 20, 2018

This week is going to be a pasta week. I’ve got three very nice pasta dishes to share and I’ll kick things off today with a salad of sorts. It’ll include penne pasta, Parmesan cheese, asparagus and salmon, among other things Later on, well, I guess this weekend and next week, I’ll move onto a dish that features an interesting looking caper sauce and one that features dried tomatoes and artichokes. I’m looking forward to both of them.

The Recipe

This recipe can be easily broken down into chunks that are simple to work with. Since this is a cold salad, timing isn’t as critical as if the dish were hot. Basically, the salmon need to be marinaded and then baked, the pasta needs to be cooked, the asparagus needs to be fried and then everything needs to be put together. The best part about this recipe is that it can be worked on throughout the day. Since the salmon needs to be marinaded for a few hours, that can be handled in the morning. And since the pasta needs to be chilled, just pick your time out of a hat for cooking that. Actually, the entire thing is like this, so it’s really a no stress situation.

As far as flavor and texture goes, I liked this salad a lot. All that Parmesan hit the spot and the asparagus shined through. My favorite part though was the salmon. The marinade truly adds tons of flavor and the way it’s cooked was just perfect. I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

For the Marinade

4 6-Ounce Salmon Fillet Pieces
1/4 Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Teaspoons Garlic, Minced
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

For the Salad

1 Pound Dry Penne Pasta
1 Bunch Asparagus, Trimmed and Sliced Thin
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
1/3 Cup Parsley, Chopped
6 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons Dried Italian Herb Mixture
1/2 Teaspoon Salt + 1 Tablespoon For Pasta Water
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepepr

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Le Coupe de Grace for this recipe. It was originally a chicken salad, but I took things up a notch and swapped that out for salmon. I like my version better, but I have to give credit where credit is due.

Make the Marinade

In a medium sized bowl, add the 1/4 cup olive oil, honey, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix all these ingredients together well.

When that’s ready, place the salmon fillets in a 6×10″ oven-safe dish. Pour the marinade over the salmon and then spoon it over each piece a few times to make sure everything is covered.

Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for three hours.

Cook the Pasta

Bring four quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water. When boiling, add the pasta to the water and cook for 11 minutes or until al dente. When finished, drain the pasta through a strainer and then place it in a large bowl.

Cook the Asparagus

Warm a skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is to temperature, add the asparagus to it and cook for three minutes. The asparagus should turn bright green. After that, add the lemon juice to the skillet, stir and then cook for one more minute. When finished, turn off the heat and then add the asparagus to the pasta in the bowl and place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool down.

Bake the Salmon

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. When it’s to temperature, add the dish with the salmon in it to the middle rack of the oven. Let the salmon cook for about 10 minutes. Then, open the oven and spoon the marinade over the salmon. Continue to cook and periodically spoon the marinade over the salmon for the next few minutes. You’ll notice the marinade begin to disappear. Check the salmon with a fork to make sure it’s cooked all the way through and when it is, turn off the heat and remove the dish from the oven. This entire process took me about 15 minutes to complete.

Combine Ingredients

At this point, you can pretty much toss everything together to make the salad. Pull the bowl from the refrigerator and add in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, mayonnaise, dried herbs, the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the ground pepper. Mix everything together well.

With a fork, break up the salmon fillets and add the resulting pieces to the pot as well. Mix them into the other ingredients gently.

Plate & Serve

Divide the pasta salad between plates and serve. Of course, you can season the entire thing to taste with more salt and pepper and even add more Parmesan cheese and parsley to each plate. Enjoy!

The Final Pasta & Salmon Salad

This was a good one. I know that it seems like it takes a lot of time, but each step is so simple that I didn’t even notice. If you decide to give this recipe a try, please let me know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

Minestrone from Campania Soup Recipe

December 10, 2018

I’m starting to wonder how many vegetable soups there can be out there. So many of them appear to be the same thing. It’s only when you look closely at the ingredients that you realize the nuances are what makes each soup unique. For instance, leeks and onions are very different things. Types of potatoes vary widely. And most importantly, when you add pasta to a vegetable soup, the door to a world of wonderful opens right up. I love pasta in vegetable soup because it adds a velvety smooth texture. It also adds bulk and interest, but those two things come after the texture.

The Recipe

This soup is a bit different than the other soups I’ve shared recently. The ingredient list for this soup is fairly involved. Not that anything is exotic or difficult to find, it’s just that there’s a wide variety of necessary vegetables. Also, this soup is considered a “Campania” minestrone because it’s prepared with all fresh vegetables. The Campania comes from the region from which the vegetables can be found nearly all year long. To me, this is exciting. As I’ve stated in previous posts, my favorite type of food is Italian and to imagine buying fresh vegetables from some market over in Italy – well, I can only dream. It sounds like a lot of fun.

This is a very simple soup to put together and the yield is quite surprising. I wasn’t expecting all the soup I made. I thought I’d have to double up on the recipe. When I read things like “1 cup of carrots,” I roll my eyes and throw in three cups. This one offers a lot though. Perhaps you should make a batch first to see how much you get and if you have a pot large enough, go crazy next time.

Regarding the flavor and texture, it’s all good. Think about a traditional vegetable soup (without tomatoes), but with more “freshness,” if that makes any sense. Remember, this soup includes leeks, green beans and fresh peas. All the vegetables combined, simmered and soaked up with broth is a wonderful combination. This soup is no slouch. And I mentioned the smooth texture above. I’d say it’s perfect.

Ingredients

Serves: 6

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Large Sweet Onion, Sliced
9 Cups Vegetable Broth
2 Cups Green Beans, Cut into 2-Inch Pieces
Half Head of Green Cabbage, Cored and 1/2-Inch Slices
1 Cup Carrots, Diced
1 Cup Celery Root, Diced
3 Cups White Potatoes, Diced
1 Leek, 1/2-Inch Slices
1 Cup Peas
3/4 Cup Ditalini Pasta
2 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, Chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese for Topping

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Carlo Bernasconi and Christian Teubner for their wonderful resource called The Complete Italian Cookbook. This book is getting better every time I look in it.

Soften the Onions & Garlic

Warm a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil, onion and garlic to it. Let these vegetables soften for about three minutes. Then, add in the vegetable broth and bring that to a boil over high heat.

Add Beans & Potato

Next, add in the green beans, carrot, celery root and potatoes to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil again and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer these ingredients for ten minutes.

Add Leek & Cabbage

After that, add in the leek slices and the cabbage and continue to simmer these ingredients for another five minutes.

Add Peas & Pasta

Finally, add in the peas and the pasta and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add Final Ingredients

Turn off the heat. Then, add in the chopped parsley, basil, salt and pepper and stir everything together well.

Plate & Serve

Divide the soup between bowls and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over everything. Serve and enjoy!

The Final Minestrone Soup

This was a very good soup. I’d even venture to say that it’s a healthy soup, considering all the vegetables that were included and the relatively low salt level. If you decide to give this recipe a try, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below. Thanks for reading!

Pan-Fried Salmon Sandwich with Giardiniera Recipe

December 8, 2018

A few days ago, I came across a recipe for a chicken sandwich. I thought about how nice it looked and about how much I’d love to enjoy something like it. After a moment of pondering, I came up with the wonderful idea of swapping the chicken out for salmon. After all, salmon is one of my favorite things and I’ve prepared many types of salmon sandwiches in the past. I decided to go with the salmon, so that’s what I’ll write about today. A great tasting salmon sandwich I made a few days ago.

The Recipe

This sandwich is so easy to make, it’s silly. While it’s common to fry up some salmon fillet and throw it on some bread that’s got mayo on it, I’m going to go one step further here. Instead of just mayo, I’m going to mix mayo and pub style mustard together. That’ll add some flair to things. Also, I’ll only put the mayo on one side of the bread. On the other side, I’ll put some chopped up giardiniera. If you aren’t familiar with giardiniera, then please allow me to fill you in. It’s a mixed vegetable combination that’s been pickled. You can find jars of this near the pickles in the grocery store. The combination includes carrots, those small white onions you see everywhere, peppers, cauliflower and a few other things. It’s got tons of flavor and I can’t believe I’ve been passing this stuff by my entire life. Processed with olive oil and parsley makes it even better, so it’s really a no brainer that it’s going to bring this salmon sandwich to the next level.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

1 Fat Loaf of Italian Bread
4 4-Ounce Pieces of Skinless Salmon Fillet
1 16-Ounce Jar of Giardiniera
1/4 Cup Packed Parsley, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Handful of Baby Greens
3 Tablespoons Regular Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Pub Style Mustard
2 Tablespoons Regular Olive Oil
Salt
Ground Black Pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Curtis Stone for his inspiration for this recipe. I found the chicken sandwich recipe in his Good Food, Good Life cookbook, so I feel he should get some credit here.

Chop Up the Giardiniera

Add the extra-virgin olive oil, parsley and drained and rinsed giardiniera to a food processor. Pulse the processor a few times until everything is broken down just until it’s coarsely chopped.

Mix the Mayo & Mustard

In a small bowl, combine the mayo and mustard and mix well.

Fry the Salmon

Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the regular olive oil to it and then add the salmon. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the salmon.

Cook the salmon for a few minutes until you see the color change about half way up each fillet’s side. When that happens, flip the salmon over and continue cooking for about two more minutes or until you see the color on the other side meet the previously changed one. When the salmon is cooked, turn off the heat and remove the fillets from the pan.

Assemble the Sandwiches

While the salmon is cooking, cut eight fairly thick pieces of bread from the loaf of Italian bread. Toast the pieces. Then, spread some giardiniera on four pieces and mayo/mustard mixture on the other four.

Add some baby greens to the mayo sides of the bread too.

Next, gently break apart each piece of cooked salmon and arrange the pieces on the giardiniera sides of the bread. Put the sandwiches together, cut them in half if you want and you’re done! Serve and enjoy!

The Final Salmon Sandwich

It’s simple, but it’s got a lot of flavor. I can promise you that. I love the giardiniera and the mayo and mustard mixture. Those things add a lot. I also love regular pan-fried salmon with a bit of salt and pepper, so this recipe goes the extra mile to bring many great things together. If you decide to make one of these sandwiches, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

Apple Salad with Littleneck Clams & Scallops Recipe

December 6, 2018

We’ve been on a seafood kick lately. Lobster, salmon, scallops, mussels and littleneck clams to be exact. While the original goal was to find and enjoy new and exciting recipes, that goal is somewhat morphing into learning the various methods for getting as many nutrients as the seafood we eat can offer. For example, did you know that one 3.5 ounce serving of sea scallops gives you 20 grams of protein? It’s true. A lot of seafood is very high in protein as well as many other nutrients. I’m not sure which beneficial aspect of the food we eat is doing it, but I feel pretty good after I’m finished with it. This stuff is full of goodness.

The Recipe

Today’s dish is a medley of interesting ingredients. It includes hard clams, scallops, apple, baby greens, leeks, white wine and so much more. The recipe is comprised of three parts; the seafood, the salad and the vinaigrette. Each part is fairly straightforward to prepare.

Overall, this is an outstanding salad. While it can be a bit pricey with the scallops costing $18.99 per pound and the clams costing $4.99 per pound, Id say it’s worth it as a once in a blue moon sort of thing. Scallops are probably my favorite food in the world with their sweet flavor and tender texture. Littleneck clams are very good as well. They’re definitely different than muscles in regards to their flavor. Both are excellent. When it comes to the salad and other vegetables, you really can’t ever go wrong with baby greens and apple. The carrots, celery, leeks and onions are all softened and cooked with the white wine and clams, so everything in that pot has a unique and extraordinarily tasty flavor. The vinaigrette is a basic vinegar and oil one, so that’s nothing to write home about, but it’s still enjoyable.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

2 Pounds Small Hard Clams, Washed
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Onion, Diced
1/2 Cup Carrot, Diced
1/2 Cup Celery, Diced
1/2 Cup Leek, Diced
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Celery Stalk, Cut into 2 Inch Matchsticks
1 Apple, Cored and Sliced Thin
4 Cups Baby Greens
4 Ounces Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
4 Sea Scallops
2 Tablespoons Butter
Ground Black Pepper
Salt

For the Vinaigrette

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Carlo Bernasconi and Christian Teubner for their incredible resource called The Complete Italian Cookbook. I’m truly enjoying myself as I work my way through it. Granted, that’s going to take me about ten years, but it’s still fun.

Cook the Clams

Warm a large pot over medium-high heat. Then, add in the one tablespoon of olive oil and the diced carrots, celery, leeks and onion. Let these vegetables cook, while stirring intermittently, for about five minutes. Then, add in the clams, white wine and thyme, cover the pot and let everything cook for seven minutes. When that’s finished, turn off the heat and discard any clams that didn’t open.

Prepare the Vinaigrette

Combine the apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk everything together with a fork.

Toss & Arrange the Salad

In a large bowl, toss the celery matchsticks, apple, baby greens, cherry tomatoes and the vinaigrette together. Then, divide the salad among bowls or plates.

Cook the Scallops

Warm a skillet over medium heat. Then, add the butter to the skillet and wait for the pan to get to temperature. When it does, place the scallops in the pan for about one minute each side or until each side had nice color on it. When finished, turn off the heat and remove the scallops from the pan to stop them from cooking. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper.

Plate & Serve

With a slotted spoon, scoop the vegetables and clams from the pot and distribute those ingredients across the tops of the salads. Then, carefully divide the liquid in the pot among the salads as well, being sure to leave the sediment from the clams in the pot behind. Finally, arrange the scallops on the salads as well. Serve and enjoy!

The Final Clam & Scallop Salad

While this isn’t the quickest salad in the world to put together, it’s certainly one you’ll likely remember. Between the clams, scallops and actual salad, I don’t know which part I enjoyed the most. It’s all good. If you decide to try this recipe out, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

Italian Mussel Soup Recipe

December 4, 2018

I don’t know if I mentioned this here, but I recently purchased a gigantic Italian cookbook from a used book sale at a nearby ski mountain. The organization that was selling it was a local library. The price was four dollars and since the book weighed about ten pounds, I decided to grab it while I could. Since I bought it, it’s been sitting on my shelf with all my other cookbooks. By the way, my cookbook collection is getting rather large.

Anyway, the point of this short story is that, after looking the book up on Amazon.com, I found that it’s currently selling for $62! Can you believe that? I think we can all agree that I got a great deal. The best part is, the book is chock full of incredible recipes, with today’s being one of them. Take a look at this monster. I finally pulled it out and it’s in full use. Three of this week’s recipes will come from this book alone, which are going to be so much fun to write about. Italian food is my favorite.

The Recipe

Today’s recipe is a simple one. It combines steamed mussels with vegetable soup. Because the mussels add a distinct flavor, the soup will taste slightly differently than what you’re used to. It will taste as though it’s from the sea, but let me assure you that that’s a good thing. If you love mussels and you love vegetable soup, you’ll love what I’m about to show you below. And if you think you’d like the soup without the mussels, I don’t see any reason you couldn’t make just that.

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

4 Pounds Mussels
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Large Sweet Onion, Chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Cup White Wine
3 1/2 Cups Fish Stock
1 28-Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
3 Carrots, Sliced
3 Celery Stalks, Sliced
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Carlo Bernasconi and Christian Teubner for this recipe. I pulled it from their resource called The Complete Italian Cookbook. From what I’ve seen thus far, this book truly is the complete resource.

Cook the Mussels

Warm a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the olive oil, garlic and onions and let these ingredients soften for about three minutes. Then, add in the white wine and the cleaned mussels and cover the pot. Allow the mussels to steam for seven to eight minutes, until they have opened up. Throw away any that haven’t opened.

When the mussels are finished cooking, turn off the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer both the mussels and onion mixture to a bowl and set aside. Strain the liquid from this pot into another large pot. This step is merely to filter out and sediment that may have come from the mussels. If you have a good eye, you can simply pour the liquid from the one pot into the other, making sure to leave the sand behind.

Cook the Vegetables

Warm this new large pot over medium-high heat. Add the fish stock, tomatoes, carrots and celery to the white wine liquid and bring to a boil. Let these vegetables cook for ten minutes.

When the vegetables have softened, remove the meat from half the mussels and place it in the liquid with everything else. Also add in the salt and pepper. Discard those empty shells.

Plate & Serve

Divide the soup between bowls. Then, divide the remaining mussels and onions between bowls as well. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over everything. Please don’t forget to do this like I obviously did. Parsley is a nice touch. Then, serve and enjoy!

The Final Mussel & Vegetable Soup

Looks pretty good, doesn’t it? It’s easier to put together than it seems. The taste is great as well and overall, it’s a satisfying dish. If you decide to give this soup a try, please let me know your thoughts in the comment area below. Thanks for reading!

Easy Rutabaga & Carrot Soup Recipe

November 23, 2018

I hope everyone’s Thanksgiving was wonderful. This season seems to be shaping up as an exciting one. I sensed a lot of energy out there earlier this week and I saw many smiling faces. That’s always nice during this time of year. Food was definitely on the mind.

As far as our Thanksgiving went, it was very good. We made many dishes and believe it or not, most of them came straight from this blog! I was thrilled to scroll through all the pages I’ve shared through the years to pick things that looked appetizing out. I remember preparing so much of what I saw and our meal last night was just perfect. Cauliflower and mushroom stuffing, cranberry sauce, salmon and vinaigrette, mashed sweet potatoes, fruit dessert and so much more. There were probably around ten different dishes in all. I am so looking forward to all the leftovers.

I actually had this rutabaga soup recipe on my list to share before the holiday, but since we needed a soup for last evening, I decided to make it for Thanksgiving. I had initially planned on making a pureed cauliflower soup, but I didn’t want to overdo it with the cauliflower. I was already using that vegetable for two other dishes. I’m glad I went with the rutabaga soup though because it’s very good. And it’s just so simple to put together. I’m falling in love with these easy soups. I made a large pot full last night and it hardly cost anything as far as groceries go. It’s such a good idea.

The Recipe

If you’re not familiar with rutabaga, you should really give it a try. It’s great as a soup or even mashed. If mashed, all you need to do is add some salt, pepper and butter and you’ll find yourself wanting more. In either the soup of mashed, I think you’ll see that it’s light and very fresh tasting, for lack of a better description. I’ll just say it’s pleasant and simple. It can compare to the texture of a spaghetti squash and a butternut squash combined, if that makes any sense.

This particular recipe is so straightforward. Go out and get yourself a big rutabaga, a few carrots, an onion and some vegetable broth. You’ll likely have the other ingredients you’ll need in your refrigerator and cabinets. Prep the veggies, cook them, puree them and you’ll have yourself a great tasting soup in no time. This is an easy one to put together after work at night. It’s nice and filling too, just like all of these soups are.

Ingredients

Serves: 8-10

2 Tablespoons Butter (or Olive Oil)
1 Large Rutabaga, Peeled and Cubed
2 Large Carrots, Sliced
1 Large Onion, Chopped
6 Cups Vegetable Broth
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Irish American Mom for this recipe. She’s got a lot of interesting and delicious looking recipes on her blog and I’d like to try more in the future.

Prep & Soften the Vegetables

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Then, prep the rutabaga, carrots and onion and place them in the pot with the butter. Stir them a few times and let them cook for about ten minutes to soften slightly.

Simmer the Vegetables

Increase the heat to high and add in the vegetable broth, salt and pepper. When the broth begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Let the broth simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree the Soup

By this point, everything in the pot should be tender. Go ahead and turn off the heat and using either a hand blender or a traditional blender, puree the contents of the pot. You should see a consistency like this.

You can season to taste with salt and pepper at this point as well.

Plate & Serve

Divide the soup between bowls. If you want to get fancy, you can chop up a bit of parsley or fresh thyme and add that to the center of each bowl. Completely not necessary if you ask me. Serve and enjoy!

The Final Rutabaga & Carrot Soup

You can’t get much easier than this and it’s such a good soup. If you were so inclined, you could also add a few spoonfuls of heavy cream to each serving and swirl that in. That would add a nice touch too, but again, completely not necessary. Anyway, if you decide to give this recipe a try, please let me know down in the comment area below. Thanks for reading!

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