Friday, March 14, 2008

IRISH 'LENTEN' SEAFOOD FEAST ~ STEAMED CLAMS & 'GREEN' LINGUINE / BROWN BUTTER SODA BREAD

"If you're enough lucky to be Irish, you're lucky enough!"
~Irish Saying
~ Crystal shamrock and shamrock flowers
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STEAMED CLAMS & 'GREEN' LINGUINE
~ Ireland's pure shores reap some of the finest seafood in Europe ... either steamed clams or mussels make this recipe a fine holiday feast.
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1 lb. linguine (use spinach linguine for an 'all green' treat)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
6 pounds scrubbed littleneck or other small clams or mussels
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 stick unsalted butter
2-3 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
sea salt & coarsely ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
  • Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain and toss with olive oil.
  • While pasta is cooking melt butter in a large pot. Saute chopped scallions and garlic cloves until scallions are tender but not browned. Add 2 cups dry white wine and salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a rapid boil and add the clams and parsley. Cover the kettle and cook the clams, shaking the pan frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the shells are opened. Discard any clams that do not open.
  • Divide pasta among bowls and top with seafood mixture and juices. Top with chopped fresh basil and Brown Butter Soda Bread. (6 servings)

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BROWN BUTTER SODA BREAD

~ Rosemary and black pepper give this delicious bread a different twist (from Bon Appetit - Feb.'06)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. ground black pepper plus additional for topping

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

1 beaten to blend egg white

  • Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Position rack in center.
  • Stir butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted browned butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until flour mixture is moistened.
  • Turn dough onto floured work surface. Knead gently until dough comes together, about 7 turns. Divide i half. Shape each half into ball; flatten each into 6-inch round.
  • Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5 inches apart. Brush tops with beaten egg white. Sprinkle lightly with ground black pepper. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch deep 'X' in top of each round.
  • Bake breads until deep golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on rack at least 30 minutes. Serve wedges warm or at room temperature with plenty of butter.

6 comments:

Carol Soules said...

I'm ready for St Patty's here! I've got my all natural corned beef ready to cook up and take to visit my 85 year old mom, who always cooked us the traditional corned beef and cabbage this time of year.

joey said...

Me too, Carol. My favorite corned beef & cabbage is posted in last March archives. Wish I was Irish! I cook for the clan who is (hubby & kids) though I enjoy the holiday (as you can see). You are so fortunate to have your mother ... enjoy the visit :)

Ki said...

The Irish are certainly lucky now though they've suffered much in the past. Maybe their new found wealth is to make up for all the suffering. Steamed clams and linguine sounds wonderful. I do like the very tiny manila clams but can't seem to find any here but I think they'd be lovely to use in the recipe.

Good grief. The word verification is:
qthvurax in a slanting italic. Very difficult to read. Aha! it didn't let me post the comment but sent another easier qpnnh.

joey said...

Hi ki ... Good luck finding manila clams. I'm a seafood fanatic as you might have guessed ... can never get enough! (Shot my 'lady slipper' ~ wow ~ a beauty)

vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com said...

Hello Joey;

You're blog is not helping me much with my over-the-winter roundness. I have about one month before the snow is gone here and I can touch my toes.(?) That assumes it really will stop snowing soon. That's when I have to become a gardener for the first half each day and a carpenter until dark. We're moving our nursery business and I decided to construct the business building with a friend of mine.

The recipes you include are too tantalizing. I just read back a couple weeks and now I'm going downstairs to ride the stationary bike to shed the mental pounds I just gained. I may just modify that maple glaze a little and try it on the ham tomorrow. I've done one of my own making in the past for salmon and it really is a great combination.

The maple sugaring season is very slow in Vermont because of deep snow and cold weather. The news reported yesterday that there is a ring of sugaring equipment thieves around stealing lines and gathering tanks at night. One man nearby had his tank pumped dry. This and the oil bill won't help the price. It has been $46 a gallon for fancy grade. No telling what it will be in a month or so.

Many thanks for all the great work you do. I have to look back a few times with the pictures because there is so much to see.

Good holiday wishes!
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

joey said...

Always a delight to hear from you, George ... I so enjoy sipping coffee and reading your heartfelt 'escapades' ... you have a gift with the pen. I feel the bitter cold and frustration through your raw humor. My dream is to visit Vermont (you know my passion for maple syrup though sap is running here in Michigan). Thanks for your encouraging words ... no calories reading recipes (many read cookbooks like novels yet never cook). Good luck in your endeavor. How fun it would be to visit your new nursery and bring home a piece of Vermont and you!