4 posts tagged “clams”

So, remember last week, when I was telling you how badly I wanted to try ZenChef’s (over at Chefs Gone Wild) Clam Risotto?  Well, I did it.  I made his absolutely remarkable risotto and I’m sort of half wondering if I have died and gone to heaven?  Did I?  Somebody let me know if you read this post…to let me know if I died or not.  I mean seriously…it’s *that* good.  I even screwed it up a little–I forgot the lemon juice until after we finished eating it.  Did I mention there was not a single grain of rice left over?  We even licked the cockle shells clean.   I was going to make some really inappropriate joke about sucking cockle shells, but I’d better not.  But we did. lol  ;)  If you know me, you know that I cannot follow a recipe exactly.  It really is some sort of impossibility for me.  I do not feel complete if I don’t change things up at least just a little.  After all, a recipe really should just be a springboard for our own creativity, right?  So, I will note my (minimal) changes, even though I did stick pretty close to Zen’s original post. 

So, would you look at this?  Don’t you just want to dive into that plate of creamy risotto bliss?  Trust me, it’ll be the best dive you’ve ever performed.

zens risotto

Not that I have anything against Chowder or anything.  I love it, actually.   White chowder, Manhattan chowder…it’s all good.  Around here, clams are generally either part of a paella or part of a seafood soup, but I think one of the very best ways to have them is “A la Marinera,” or “Mariner’s Clams.”  This is such a simple recipe, but so very good.  The key is to soak the clams overnight in salted water (preferably sea salt), so that they release all of the sand from within their shells.  There’s few things I dislike more than biting into a grain of sand…the mere thought causes me to shudder. 

For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com

mariners clams

First of all, sorry about the way I've formatted this recipe (in weight measurements rather than cups for some things), but that's how it is written in the Thermomix cookbook...when I have time, I'll get a weight/cup measurement for various items and make a chart to easily translate the recipes into the format I'm used to (who knows, perhaps some of you actually prefer the measurements to be in weights rather than cups?).  I've adapted the recipe to a stove-top preparation, which takes a bit longer, but in the Thermomix it took 34 minutes start to finish! :)   Anyway, on with the recipe:

Ingredients:

10 ounces clams (250 grams)

12 ounces fish fillet (300 grams)

10 ounces whole shrimp (250 grams)

2 eggs (hard boiled)

2 cups water (1/2 liter)

1/2 red pepper (100 grams, 4 ounces)

1/2 green pepper (100 grams, 4 ounces)

1 onion (150 grams, 6 ounces)

2 cloves garlic

8 ounces (200 grams) tomato puree

2 1/2 ounces (70 grams) extra virgin olive oil

2 more cups (1/2 liter) water

salt and pepper to taste

bay leaf

3 ounces (80 grams) short grained rice (not Uncle Bens or similar varieties)

chopped parsley to garnish

Preparation:

First you'll need to soak the clams in salt water for a good while so that they release the sand.

Meanwhile, prepare the fumet.

Shell shrimp, reserving meat for later.

Boil shrimp shells in 2 cups (1/2 liter) water for about 7 minutes.

Strain and reserve fumet.

Using a food processor, chop peppers, onion and garlic, then add tomato sauce.

Heat oil in a stock pot, and sautee the vegetable mixture for 7 more minutes.

Add remaining water, bay, fumet and season with salt and pepper.

Heat through, and allow to cook for 7-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam clams and fish fillet.

Add all opened clams (discarding any that haven't opened), fish (broken into pieces) and the rice to stew .

Cook stew until rice is tender (about 20 minutes).

Remove from heat and add deveined shrimp and minced eggs, and mix.

Allow to sit 2-3 minutes to allow shrimp to cook through.

Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

seafood stew

I'm so annoyed....I just typed out the entire recipe, and it disappeared. :X  So I'll type it out again later or tomorrow when I'm not so peeved.  Sorry! :(