a little of this and that

It’s Monday, time for me to catch up and give you my input on some recipes I recently prepared. I’ll start with the past two Friday’s meals since it is the start of Lent. For the first recipe I made Shrimp Fritters from the “Library at Vendue Inn,” located in Charleston, South Carolina. The recipe is from the book “Signature Tastes of Charleston.” The other is Spaghetti with Red Clam sauce from “The Classic Italian Cook Book,” by Marcella Hazan.
 
I had such high hopes for the fritter recipe, but it fell short in the taste category. For the recipe you’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, eggs, milk, olive oil, yellow onion, garlic, shrimp and flat leaf parsley. The recipe calls for one pound of shrimp with the fritter batter consisting of 3-1/4 cups of flour and 1-1/2 cups of milk and three eggs. I thought that sounded excessive and decreased the amounts by half. Also, the recipe called for cooked shrimp. In my opinion, adding cooked shrimp to the batter and then sautéing them in the fritter may overcook the shrimp, so I opted not to cook mine.

In hindsight, the fritter batter was too thick; it needed to be thinned out with more milk.  As you can see from the ingredient list, the only flavoring for this dish comes from salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic, which left the final product lacking in taste. If I were to make these again I would add Old Bay Seasoning and green onion for flavor and color. A little zhuzhing would help make this a tastier dish. ​

This past Friday I made Marcella Hazan’s recipe for red clam sauce. For the recipe you’ll need one dozen little neck clams, fresh garlic, olive oil, anchovy fillets or paste, fresh parsley, canned Italian tomatoes chopped, salt, fresh pepper and spaghettini.
 
When I make clam sauce, I usually sauté garlic in olive oil with some red pepper flakes and canned chop clams. However, Marcella’s had a few more layers of flavors that I thought would enhance the sauce. Instead of fresh clams I opted for chopped canned and for the tomatoes I tried a brand called Mutti. It took approximately 10 minutes to prepare the sauce and another 25 minutes for it to simmer and meld the flavors together. Also, as I was using canned clams, I added those approximately five minutes before the pasta was done just to heat them through.
 
The sauce was delicious and fresh tasting. My husband, who dislikes anchovies, couldn’t even detect the small amount that was added to the sauce. Overall, a wonderful recipe by Marcella Hazan.
 
I had purchased dates for a date and nut loaf that I made for a friend. I still had some dates remaining when I came across a recipe by Yewande Komolafe of The New York Times for Pan-Seared Chicken with Harissa, Dates and Citrus. I have never used harissa before and was curious about this ingredient. Harissa is a hot chili paste made with roasted peppers, Baklouti peppers, spices such as garlic, caraway and coriander seeds, cumin, curry and olive oil. You’ll also need, navel oranges, honey, cumin, fresh garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt, shallots, medjool dates, scallions, chicken stock, fresh lime juice, labne or full-fat plain yogurt and fresh dill.
 
For this recipe I opted to use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. The orange is peeled into strips and a cup of juice is squeezed from the oranges. Next, the chicken is marinated in a mixture of harissa, honey, cumin, garlic, some olive oil, and a bit of fresh orange juice. Cooking begins by adding olive oil to a pan and caramelizing the shallots, dates and orange peel that have been seasoned with salt. Chopped scallions are added and cooked with the rest of the ingredients for one minute; all are removed to a waiting dish.
 
Next, the remaining olive oil is added and the chicken pieces are cooked until golden brown. The remaining liquids are added and the chicken finishes cooking. The shallot mixture is added back to the pan and cooked until tender. The dish is finished with lime juice and seasonings adjusted.
 
This was a scrumptious meal. The blend of flavors was delightful and not too spicy. I served the chicken with white rice. The sauce was fabulous, you could really taste all the flavors when eaten with just the rice. Did I mention this recipe takes just 40 minutes, great for weeknight meals.
 
Speaking of quick recipes, I babysit one day a week for my granddaughter. After a busy day with her, I like to come home to a quick meal that would take little thinking or prep. Enter Sam Sifton of The New York Times and his recipe for Pastrami-Spiced Steak with Charred Cabbage. This 35-minute recipe came together in a jiff and I recommend it to anyone that wants a home cooked meal with minimal effort. For the recipe you’ll need smoked or sweet paprika, light brown sugar, ground coriander, onion or garlic powder, kosher salt, strip steaks, mayonnaise, grape seed or neutral oil, green cabbage, garlic cloves and spicy brown or Dijon mustard.
 
I purchased a bag of shredded coleslaw in lieu of a head of cabbage, which made prep time that much quicker. As I was using one steak for the recipe, I prepared half the amount of seasoning. For the spice mixture, I used smoked paprika and a combination of both the garlic and onion powders. The steak is coated on all sides with the seasoning blend. In order to get a nice sear on both sides of the meat, mayonnaise is coated on one side before being placed in a non-stick skillet for cooking. Once the steak is placed in the pan, the other side is smeared with the mayo.
 
The cooking method for this steak is a skillet over high heat, turning the steak every 2 minutes until the internal temperature registers between 120° to 125°. Make sure you use tongs to turn the meat and grab just the outer edges to avoid scraping off any of the seasoning rub. Once the meat hits temperature, remove to a dish and keep warm. In the same pan, cook the cabbage with a little oil and garlic until charred and crisp tender. Grab a piece of steak and a bit of cabbage, dip into mustard of choice and savor the luscious flavors of the meat. What a wonderful dish. I will say, my husband thought the steak could have used a heavier hand with the seasoning, but that didn’t deter us from enjoying such a marvelous meal. 

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​Shrimp Fritter
“Library at Vendue Inn,"
​19 Venude Range, Charleston
“Signature Tastes oil Charleston,”
Steven W. Siler, Signature Tastes Cookbooks
 
 
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 whole eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1-pound cooked shrimp
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley

1. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients
2. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Set both aside.
3. Heat oil in a medium sauté pan an sauté vegetables until the oil is just cooked. Don’t brown the garlic.
4. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
5. Add the vegetables, shrimp and parsley. Combine thoroughly
6. Spoon a small amount into a heated, lightly oil non-stick skillet
7. When bubbles begin to form in batter on the top side, flip to brown on the other side.
8. Cook for about 1 more minute and remove from heat. 

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​Thin Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce
“The Classic Italian Cook Book,”
By Marcella Hazan
 © 1973, Alfred A. Knopf
 
Serves: 4
 
1 dozen small littleneck clams
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic chopped fine
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped anchovy fillets pr anchovy paste
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped with their juice
Salt
Freshly ground pepper, about 6 twists of the mill
1-pound spaghettini
 

1. Wash and scrub the clams thoroughly (see below).  Heat them over high heat in a covered pan until they open their shells. Detach the clams from the shells and rinse off any sand on the meat by dipping them briefly one at a time in their own juice. Unless the clams are exceptionally small, cut them p into two or more pieces and set aside. Strain the clam juices through a sieve lined with paper towels and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium heat. When the garlic has colored lightly, add the chopped anchovies or paste and stir. Add the chopped parsley, stir, then add the chopped tomatoes and their juice and the strained clam juices. Cook, uncovered, at a gentle simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the tomatoes and oil separate. Taste and correct for salt, then add the pepper. Off the heat, mix in chopped clams. (If you are preparing the sauce ahead of time, hold back the clams until after you’ve warmed up the sauce; otherwise, they will become tough and rubbery. Film them with a little olive oil to keep them moist).
3. Drop the spaghettini into 4 quarts of boiling salted water and cook until al dente, firm to the bite. (Spaghettini cook very rapidly and should be eaten even slightly more al dente than other pasta.) Drain the pasta immediately when cooked. Transfer to a warm bowl and mix in the sauce, thoroughly seasoning all the strands. Serve right away.
   
   

To Clean Clams
Set the clams in a large basin or sink filled with cold water. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and refill the basin with clean water. Scrub the clams vigorously with a coarse, stiff brush or by rubbing them one again the other. When they all scrubbed, drain and fill basin again with clean water. Repeat these steps for 20-30 minutes, until you see that the water in the basin remains clear. Transfer the cleaned clams to a bowl  

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​Pan-Seared Chicken with Harissa, Dates and Citrus
By Yewande Komolafe
The New York Times|Cooking
 
Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
 
INGREDIENTS
1 to 2navel oranges
¼ cup harissa
1 tablespoon honey
1teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a knife
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2½ to 3 pounds)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)​
6 whole shallots, quartered lengthwise
1 cup pitted medjool dates, halved
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 cup chicken stock, store-bought or homemade
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ cup labne or full-fat plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
 
PREPARATION

1. Remove the peel from both oranges in strips using a vegetable peeler and reserve. Squeeze 1 cup of juice from the oranges.
2. Make the marinade in a large bowl by whisking together the harissa, honey, cumin, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ cup orange juice. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season both sides generously with salt. Add the chicken to the marinade and coat evenly with the marinade. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the chicken for up to 24 hours.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, dates and reserved orange peel. Season lightly with salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are browned in spots and the dates are caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cook to soften slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and place the chicken pieces skin-side down in the skillet, still over medium heat drizzle any marinade left in the bowl over the chicken pieces. Cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces to cook the other side until just seared, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and remaining ¾ cup orange juice, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
5. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half and the chicken is cooked through and tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Return the shallot mixture to the skillet, stirring to disperse and coat with the broth. Add the lime juice and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes to soften the shallots. Remove from the heat and taste to see if you need to add more salt. Top with dots of yogurt and sprinkle with the dill.

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Pastrami-Spiced Steak with Charred Cabbage
Ali Slagle
The New York Times, “What to Make Next Week”
February 18, 2023
 
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon onion or garlic powder
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
2 (1-inch-thick) strip steaks (1½ to 2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
 
For the Cabbage
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed
1-pound green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Spicy brown or Dijon mustard, for serving
 
PREPARATION

1. In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, brown sugar, coriander, onion powder and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture into all sides of the steaks. Coat one side of the steaks with half the mayonnaise and place the steaks in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet, mayonnaise sides down. Paint the tops with the remaining mayonnaise.
2. Set the skillet over high heat and cook for 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 120 to 125 degrees for medium-rare, a further 8 to 12 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed so the steaks are sizzling but not smoking. To prevent spices from falling off, grab the steaks by the edges instead of tops and bottoms. If steak has a fat cap, hold upright to sear the fat cap until crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate to rest while you cook the cabbage.
3. Wipe out the skillet, then add the oil and heat over medium. Add the cabbage and spread into an even layer. Cook undisturbed until charred underneath, 3 to 4 minutes, then toss occasionally until charred in spots and crisp-tender, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and any steak resting juices and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Cut the steak against the grain. Eat the steak and cabbage with a spoonful of mustard, for dipping and dragging through.

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