roasted shrimp and feta

the ingredients:

4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (divided)

1 1/2 cups medium-diced fennel

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 tsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 lbs. (16 to 20 per pound) peeled shrimp with tails on

5 oz. good feta cheese (coarsely crumbled)

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp. fresh parsley (chopped)

2 tbsp. fresh dill (chopped)

2 lemons (reserving 1 tsp. lemon zest)

the method:

preheat the oven to 400.

heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat. add the fennel, and saute for eight to ten minutes, until the fennel is tender. add the garlic, and cook for a minute. add the wine, and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. cook for two to three minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. add the tomatoes with the liquid, tomato paste, salt and pepper to the skillet. simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

arrange the shrimp, tails up, in one layer over the tomato-mixture in the skillet. scatter the feta evenly over the shrimp. in a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, dill and lemon zest with the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle over the shrimp.

bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown (do not turn on the broiler to brown the breadcrumbs and forgot the dish is in the oven like i did). remove from the oven, and squeeze the juice of one lemon over the shrimp, and serve hot with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

adapted from a barefoot contessa recipe.

smoked salmon dip

yields: about 3 cups

the ingredients:

2/3 cup crème fraîche

2/3 cup plain greek yogurt

4 tsp. store-bought horseradish

1 lemon (zested)

1 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon

2 tbsp. thinly sliced chives (plus more for garnish)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

pumpernickel toasts, flatbread crisps, or bagel chips

the method:

whisk the first four ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. place the salmon in a food processor, and pulse just a few seconds at a time until salmon is reduced to pea-sized pieces. add the salmon and the chives to the crème fraîche mixture, and fold to incorporate. season to taste with salt and pepper.*

garnish with two-inch long pieces of fresh chives, and serve alongside pumpernickel toasts.

*this can be made up to three days ahead.

slightly adapted from a bon appetit recipe.

capricci with swordfish and baby peppers

i had been stalking these baby peppers at whole foods for a while. it was time to take action. i think it was the colors that got me. they were such a beautiful mix of fall. and given that it was officially the first day of fall at the time, the timing seemed perfect. i liked the idea of pairing them with a fish for a lighter, more refreshing combination. (as much as i’d like to make a meat ragout, i need to ease, not dive, into fall, but expect to see plenty of hearty pasta dishes as the temperature continues to drop, which it seems to be doing and quickly.) anyway, there’s a pasta dish at union square cafe that incorporates fish that i LOVE. i guess that had some influence over this one and others that i’ve made. shellfish and pasta are an easy do. fish can be a little more difficult to pair, especially when there’s cheese involved and people think it’s sacrilegious to combine the two. i am here to prove otherwise! and i think this dish did just that. the cheese really finished the dish. i hadn’t added any cheese to my first few bites, but when i did, my second helping required reaching for the parm again. i suggest you do the same.

yields: 4-6 servings

the ingredients:

1 lb. pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small yellow onion

1 lb. baby peppers (mildly hot; assorted colors)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

a pinch of red pepper flakes (as little or big as you like it hot)

1 lb. swordfish (cut into 1″ cubes)

1 lemon (zested and juiced)

1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley (gently chopped)

1 cup parmigiano regianno

the method:

bring a generously salted pot of water to a boil. cook the pasta according to package instructions.

heat the olive oil in a large skillet. once hot, add the onions, and cook down until almost translucent. add a pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. add the peppers, and cook until they start to soften. add the swordfish, lemon elements, and most of the parsley, reserving some for garnish, and stir everything together. the fish should take six to eight minutes on medium heat (if the timing of the pasta doesn’t quite sync, lower the heat as much as possible or turn it off as not to overcook the fish).

drain the pasta, reserving a couple of cups of pasta water, and transfer it to the skillet. throw in half of the cheese, gradually adding a little bit of time pasta water at a time, and toss everything until well combined. if necessary, season to taste with salt and pepper (the cheese will add a saltiness, so it’s important to wait to do this). garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve alongside the rest of the cheese (i absolutely recommend using it). enjoy.

mussels with basil breadcrumbs

12 pounds of mussels. 11 mussel-eaters. every last one eaten. this was largely in part due to my dad’s mussel-eating capacity. don’t ever offer to share an order with him. they’ll be gone before you know it. therefore, it was only fitting that i incorporate these into his birthday feast. and boy, was he happy that i did. it was the perfect way to not only celebrate the occasion, but to wind down the summer season in bay head as well (a thought that truly depresses me). the basil breadcrumbs deliciously absorb the olive and white wine. you could even leave the bread crumbs as cubes and stir in the remaining ingredients if you want more texture. maybe i’ll try that next time, though based on the 12 pounds of empty shells, i’m not sure there’s much i would change. thanks, ina. another scrumptious idea.

yields: 4 servings

the ingredients:

6 slices white bread (cubed and toasted at 375)

6 garlic cloves (minced)

1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. lemon juice (freshly-squeezed)

9 sun-dried tomato halves in oil (drained; get the good ones; they help to enhance the end result.)

3/4 cup fresh basil leaves (lightly packed)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup pignoli nuts (toasted)

3/4 cup dry white wine (i used a sauvignon blanc.)

3 lbs. mussels (cleaned)

the method:

combine the toasted bread cubes, garlic, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and the lemon juice in a food processor, and pulse a few times to make coarse crumbs. add the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and pulse to combine. add the pine nuts, and pulse a few times to combine but not to chop the nuts. set aside.

meanwhile, heat three tablespoons of olive oil and wine in a heavy-bottomed pot along with the sun-dried tomatoes, and bring to a boil. add the mussels, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for four to five minutes, and then let them simmer over low heat for another few minutes. discard any mussels that don’t open. add the basil bread crumbs, and toss gently. transfer to a serving bowl, and serve with all of the pan juices.

slightly adapted from a barefoot contessa recipe.

homemade linguine with jersey corn and herbed-halibut sausage

as many of you know, i made a pasta recently with fresh corn in it (it also had prosciutto and burrata, and it was quite delicious if i do say so myself). i loved the addition of the corn to the dish and the slight crunch that it added. then, i had another pasta in napa last week that incorporated fresh corn as well. this, too, was delicious. however, instead of a meat, this one had fresh white tuna. thus, the idea to incorporate fish into my weekend-creation was born. somewhere along the way, i decided i wanted to attempt a fish sausage. perhaps jet lag provokes creativity. i had been wanting to use the kitchenaid meat grinder i discovered in my pantry for a while now, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. donned in rose clothes, kelly and i manned the meat grinder while magic michael prepped the pasta ingredients. then, kelly and i switched out the meat grinder for the pasta attachment. i think i can speak for both us in proclaiming our love for kitchenaid stand mixers. about halfway into our prep, john arrived and offered to photograph the evening. it was an incredible collaboration of creativity in the kitchen. there’s nothing i love more than sharing a meal with those close to me, but sharing in the experience of making that meal really makes the finished product that much more meaningful. as for the dish itself, don’t be intimidated by the lengthiness of this recipe. feel free to use dried pasta if you’re short on time or don’t have a pasta machine and or lady of leisure in your kitchen. unfortunately, that’s the only shortcut i can offer. but i promise the end result is worth the effort. i love the seasonality of this dish, so make it while you can because you won’t be able to get your hands on jersey corn for much longer. buon appetito.

yields: 4-6 servings

the ingredients:

for the pasta:

1 2/3 cup 00 flour (i use king arthur.)

2 large eggs

1 tbsp. olive oil

pinch of salt

for the sausage:

1 1/2 lbs. halibut (skinned and cut into 1″ cubes)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tsp. thyme (minced)

1 tsp. parsley (minced)

1 tsp. chives (minced)

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

for the sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 large ears of corn

1/2 cup pecorino romano (grated)

2 tbsp. chives

the method:

for the pasta:

sift the flour onto a clean work surface, and make a well in the center with your fist.

break the eggs into the well, and add the oil and a pinch of salt.

gradually mix the egg mixture into the flour using the fingers of one hand, bringing the ingredients together into a firm dough. if the dough feels too dry, add a few drops of water; if it’s too wet, add a little more flour (you’ll get the gist after you’ve made it a few times).

knead the pasta until smooth,  about two to five minutes. lightly massage it with a drop of olive oil, pop the dough into a plastic food bag, and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (the pasta will be much more elastic after resting).

for the sausage:

using a kitchenaid meat grinder, send the fish through using the wooden tool it comes with (i don’t know the actual name) with the speed on low. once all of the fish is ground, add the remaining ingredients, and stir gently until everything is incorporated.

for the sauce:

remove the kernels from the corn with a sharp knife, and set aside.

in a large skillett, heat the olive oil over medium heat. add the halibut sausage, and cook for a few minutes (the fish will continue cooking when it’s added back into the dish, so less is more here). remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

add the corn to the skillet, and cook for five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally. turn the heat to low, and add half of the pecorino and cooked sausage. season to taste with salt and another pinch of red pepper flakes, and cook for a minute. keep the heat to a minimum.

in the meantime, cook the fresh pasta. this will only take a few minutes (if you choose to use dried pasta, add the pasta to the water sooner as dried pasta takes longer to cook). reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.

add the pasta to the skillet, along with half of the reserved water. toss well. if it seems dry, gradually add a little bit more water. add the remaining pecorino, and stir well. transfer the pasta to a serving bowl, and garnish with the chives. serve with additional pecorino on the side.

pasta recipe from leite’s culinaria.

The White Stuff – Fresh(er) Linguine and Fresh(er) Clam Sauce

i’m constantly reading IHeartFood ogling at lindsay’s creations and often wondering what i might consider trying my hand at. but really what i’ve learned is that it’s far better to be served her food than to cook it yourself. i mean…look at this stuff. she has a gift for getting involved with some pretty intricate creations. it’s impressive, and i can tell ya firsthand that the pictures do no justice to the complexity of flavors she’s able to achieve in a small new york city or jersey shore kitchen.

so it serves as inspiration for me to step up to the stove and see what i can bring to the table. okay…enough with the clichés. in all fairness,  i’ve avoided complexity here. but not due of fear…it’s mainly because sometimes, celebrating the simplest flavor can lead to an equally satisfying and transcending at-home dining experience. and…time and time again, i come back to a classic from my childhood enhanced with top-notch, seasonal ingredients…linguine and clam sauce. and for all intents and purposes, this is, and only would be, the white one.

a couple of key thoughts to work out before you even dive in:

customize – this is one of those fun dishes that you can follow a recipe for, but it’s really all based on feel. you like it hot? add more crushed pepper. you like it to be intense? kick up the garlic.

salt – always an important ingredient for any dish you make… except this one. take note here: add NO salt. you’re dealing with fresh clams; they are salty and briny from the water. finish the dish first, and then think about adding salt if you must.

cheese – some folks think it’s sac-relig to mix cheese and fish. i find that a few handfuls of pecorino help bring out the flavors and add the extra essence of salt that your taste buds may require (see point 2).

local – if you have options at your fingers tips, celebrate them. we went with clams from right off the Jersey Coast, Parsley from right off the porch, and fresh pasta from right off our fingertips. A shout out to my wife Kelly here; she’s beyond a natural with that kitchen aid mixer… where a person like me would have the kitchen looking like some type of Scarface-inspired crack den she managed to keep a tidy space and pump out consistent strands of fresh pasta that just perfectly mopped up this dish!

bread – get yourself about one, two, or twelve loaves of bread. it’s hard to find a more fun dish to clean up after than soaking up that juice with a crusty baguette… and we ain’t talking wonder bread here, my friend. crispy outside, dense inside.

yields: 3-4 servings

the ingredients:

(mis en place before starting y’all – you need to have it all at the ready.)

1 lb. fresh pasta (preferably linguine)

4-5 cloves of garlic (chopped)

1/4 up extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of butter

1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley (loosely packed)

24-36 clams (littleneck are ideal, but baby clams or others work, too. when in doubt, buy LOCAL!)

1 cup chopped clams (fresh preferred; can be canned or frozen but must be drained)

8 oz. clam juice (sold in a jar in most fish markets/grocery stores)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

freshly ground black pepper

sea salt

1/2 cup pecorino romano (grated)

the method:

heat your pan (medium heat) and begin heating olive oil and butter together until hot/melted. at the same time, salt boil your pasta water, and cook the pasta to just before al dente. once ready, remove from water and drain.

have your fresh clams submerged in cool water, allowing them to clean. if you’ve never seen it, this actually allows the sand to come out from inside the clams.

add the garlic until lightly browned, and begin to pour in the clam juice, adding it slowly to not lose the heat.

once the clam juice is added and heated, add in half of the parsley (about a quarter cup),  chopped clams, and crushed red pepper. toss them around the pan to coat and mix in the flavors.

after about three minutes, drain and add the fresh clams to the sauce pan, and turn the heat down a bit (to low/medium heat). place a lid over the mixture, and keep closed until clams begin to open. i have trouble not opening the lid from time to time and tossing everything around. i tend to think a few of the clams could use a hand in getting open (that, and the smell is intoxicating!).

once all of the clams have opened (remove any that remain closed and discard), add your pasta, and toss it around until completely coated in juices. cook for another minute to finish cooking the pasta.

serve in a large bowl, and add some fresh ground black pepper and pecorino romano cheese. garnish with the remaining fresh parsley, and serve.

enjoy… and don’t forget a to include a second bowl for those empty shells at each place setting.

side note: this is about a six napkin meal!

courtesy of michael sinatra.

homemade basil fettucine with fresh crabs and tomatoes

another sunday. another amazing day of food, family, and friends. don’t feign surprise that food came first. this is a food blog, people! after an unsuccessful crabbing adventure last sunday, my bffl and i were determined to catch our own dinner. come hell or high water (the pun is intentional), we were coming back with the star ingredient in hand (or in bucket). after our first location proved fruitless, we repositioned ourselves under the bridge. you know that moment in forrest gump when they catch all the shrimp? it was like that. okay – not exactly like that. but it was certainly a unique and gratifying moment in my culinary career. i even skinned the fish myself in an effort to lure our dinner closer, unphased that my hands were covered in fish blood while doing so. turns out i’m quite the boatsman. some covered the lines. others covered the nets. it was a spontaneous yet harmonious team effort. we headed back to shore with nine juicy crabs in hand. that’s right. NINE (i told you it wasn’t exactly like the aforementioned cinematic moment). but it was just enough for the feast we’d been drooling over. after joe b. took a two by four to them on the dock, we arrived back at the house and knew these bad boys (and girls) needed a no-joke accompaniment. homemade pasta it was. however, it wasn’t just any old homemade pasta, as we decided to flake fresh basil leaves into the dough. i put my highly-anticipated kitchenaid pasta attachment to work. loved it! if you love fresh pasta and don’t have one, get one. it works wonders. the other incredible aspect of this dish was that i got to use tomatoes that are jarred annually by a fellow italian. if you don’t have an italian in your life who does this, use san marzano tomatoes. don’t skimp on the tomatoes – i beg of you. they really do make or break the sauce. this dish was undoubtedly a labor of love but a truly memorable one that my mind and belly will remember for a very long time.

yields: 4-6 servings

the ingredients:

for the fresh pasta:

4 large eggs

1 tbsp. water

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

handful of fresh basil leaves (minced)

for the sauce:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic (or 2 mother cloves)

1/2 dozen fresh crabs

16 oz. canned whole tomatoes (preferably san marzano if joanne’s jarred juiciness aren’t attainable)

3/4 – 1 tsp. kosher salt (taste to decide)

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

handful of fresh basil leaves

the method:

for the pasta:

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the eggs, water, flour, salt, and basil. on lowish speed (or more specifically speed two), mix for 30 seconds.

exchange the paddle attachment with the dough hook. turn to speed two again and knead for two minutes. remove the dough from bowl, and knead with your hands for one to two minutes. let it rest for 20 minutes. then, divide the dough into four pieces, and roll it out to about a quarter inch thick.

attach the flattener attachment to the front of the mixer. send the dough through twice on the first setting and then once on the second. flour each sheet as it comes out to prevent sticking. switch the flattener with the fettuccine attachment, and send the pasta sheets through the machine. toss the noodles with more flour as they land on the counter. set aside.

for the sauce:

bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.

in a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. add the garlic, and cook until aromatic (about a minute). add the crabs, stirring so that they’re well coated, and cook for a few minutes. add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and some of the basil leaves, reserving some for garnish. stir thoroughly, and season to taste.  lower the heat, and allow the sauce to simmer.

add the pasta to the water, and stir constantly for the first minute to avoid sticking. cook the pasta for a few minutes until al dente (fresh pasta cooks much more quickly than dry), and drain. transfer the pasta to the skillet, and stir so that it’s well-coated with the sauce. cook for a couple of minutes in the sauce, and transfer to a serving bowl, arranging the crabs so that they’re visible. garnish with the remaining basil leaves, and serve.

broiled swordfish with orange-walnut butter

yields: 4 servings

the ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1/2 orange (zested)

1 tsp. fresh thyme (chopped)

2 tbsp. walnuts (coarsely chopped)

1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar

pinch of salt

4 6-oz. pieces of swordfish

extra-virgin olive oil (you’ll need about 1 tsp. per piece)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

the method:

in a small bowl, combine the butter, orange zest, thyme, walnuts, sugar, and salt. stir to combine. set aside (or in the fridge if you’re making this ahead of time).

when you’re ready to cook the fish, preheat the oven to broil (high).

place the fish on a rimmed baking sheet. brush each piece of fish (both sides) with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. broil for 7-10 minutes, depending on your oven.

transfer the swordfish to a serving platter, and garnish each piece with the orange-walnut butter (about a teaspoon each) while the fish is still warm so that the butter melts. serve the remaining butter on the side, and dig in.

salmon and quiona cakes with lemon-yogurt coulis

yields: about 8 cakes

the ingredients:

1/3 cup quinoa (rinsed and drained)

3/4 lb. fresh salmon (finely chopped)

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

2 large eggs

2 tbsp. fresh dill (chopped)

1 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley (chopped)

1 lemon (zested)

1 large garlic clove (minced)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. fresh black pepper

for the coulis:

1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tsp. brown sugar

1/2 lemon (zested and 1 tbsp. juice reserved)

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

the method:

in a saucepan, bring the quinoa and two-thirds of a cup of water to a boil over high heat. reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for ten minutes. then, let the pan sit, covered, for another five minutes. fluff with a fork, leave the pan uncovered, and allow to cool.

preheat the oven to 400.

line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or coat with cooking spray).

in a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the patties, and mix well.

Using a quarter cup, scoop the mix out onto the baking sheet. flatten gently with a spatula.

bake  for about ten minutes, and turn the temperature to broil. watching carefully, broil the cakes for another few minutes until they’re slightly golden on top (don’t let them burn!).

while the patties are baking, combine all of the coulis ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk together.

once baked, transfer the cakes to a serving platter. drizzle with the coulis, or serve it alongside the cakes. garnish with any extra dill fronds.

note: if you’d like to make these ahead, the cakes can be served at room temperature or prepared and stored on the baking sheet and then cooked at a later time.

adapted from a perfect pantry recipe.

swordfish (or steak) with basil pistou

yields: 6 servings

the ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic (minced)

2 lbs. swordfish steaks (or grilling steaks)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

the method:

in the bowl of a food processor, pulse the basil and two cloves of the garlic. add half of the olive through the top spout, and pulse to combine (the pistou should be textured, not puréed). season to taste with salt and pepper. set aside.

in a small bowl, combine the remaining oil and garlic. season each side of the protein with salt and pepper (more so for steaks), and drizzle with the garlic oil. let stand for 15 minutes. then, preheat the oven to broil or the grill to medium-high. broil the swordfish for five to seven minutes (depending on your oven), or cook steaks until desired doneness. garnish with the pistou, or serve it on the side.