Caprese Salad

This is a very simple Italian salad – fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato and fresh basil leaves, often seasoned with only salt and pepper. This is the classic that you often see fanned out on a plate, repeating slices of white mozzarella, red tomato, green leaf of basil. The Italian flag’s colors are Red, White and Green. Don’t lose sight of its simplicity – the creaminess of the mozzarella, the slight acid of the tomato and the spiciness of the basil is a classic that has stood the test of time – try it in all of its glory. Don’t be afraid to serve it in all of it’s simplicity.
Now if you know me I’m not one to leave things alone, so here are some variations I like to add. My favorite way of serving it is, as a slice of tomato as the base – I often try to get a large heirloom tomato. I believe heirloom tomatoes have such a variety of colors, sizes and flavors that commercially grown tomatoes can’t offer. I often like to add a thin slice of cucumber – either a standard green cucumber or my all time favorite is a lemon cucumber. Mozzarella cheese is simplicity, but I am finding variations – especially marinated in olive oil or flavored olive oil. Mozzarella can also be found in small cherry tomato sized balls. Topped off with, or hidden in between a layer – a fresh basil leaf. Sprinkled with fresh ground black pepper, I like to use coarse Kosher salt or even a Pink Salt or Gray Salt – which typically has less of a ‘salty’ taste and adds more a ‘mineral’ taste. Drizzle some Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the top. Drizzle some Balsamic Vinegar over the top. Experiment with different balsamic vinegars, one of my favorites is Fig Balsamic Vinegar.
By making individual stacks, and serving them as stacks, your guests will find it easier to select a stack, cut and eat your gorgeous salad.

For Taste Sake – a slice of tomato, a leaf of basil, a small ball of mozzarella cut in half and two marinated mussels (recipe from an earlier post). Slice it in half, between the mozzarella and mussels and put the whole slice in your mouth – the flavors and textures, go on for some time!
Another variation would be to serve it as an appetizer. Take a bamboo skewer and cut it down to size, slide on cherry tomato, a small ball or cube of mozzarella, a leaf of basil, and maybe a marinated mussel. Serve them soaking in the herb dressing posted earlier, in a shallow dish.

Marinated Mussels

I came up with this recipe many years ago when I ran across an awesome sale on mussels and wanted to extend the joy! They make a wonderful Appetizer/hors d'oeuvres as well as a decadent snack. They keep in the refrigerator for a few months (IF they last that long!)

1 Batch (basically 1 cup) Herb Salad dressing
2 Pounds Steamed Mussels
2 or more cloves Elephant Garlic

Start with the Herb Salad Dressing, posted earlier.
The mussels are best if fresh, but they are not always in season - they are commonly available frozen and when cooked according to the directions, are very suitable.
If you are using fresh mussels - make sure they are all alive (shell tightly closed - with those that are slightly open - tap another against it's shell, if it doesn't close, throw it away.) Rinse the shells to remove any loose debris and remove the beards - the beards are the fibers that the mussel produces to attach itself to rocks. Take a dull butter knife and pinch the fibers found along the seam of the shell, between the knife and your thumb, and pull the fibers away. If you are using frozen mussels - check for a beard, but most I've come across have the beard already removed. Steam the mussels until they open, Discard those that won't open - they were dead (you don't know for how long or from what - you only want to eat the ones that were healthy). Remove the meat from the shells, use a dull knife to scrape off the muscle that adheres the meat to the shell.

I like to layer thin slices of Elephant Garlic and mussel meat, in the marinade. Sliced shallot, small button mushrooms, sliced or quartered larger mushooms make great additions. I use a quart size canning jar to store the marinated mussels in the refrigerator. An empty mayonnaise  jar or other or similar container will also work. Periodically holding the jar horizontally and "rolling" it in your hands will mix it well. The mussels can be eaten immediately. At that point they are simply coated with the salad dressing, after about a week the marinade will start to penetrate and enhance the flavor.

 A Mandolin Peeler makes short work of slicing the Elephant Garlic.

 For serving - They can be eaten straight from the jar, I like to place a slice of Elephant Garlic on a cracker then a mussel on top. They also make an awesome addition to a Caprese Salad.

Herb Salad Dressing

I ran across this simple and delicious herb salad dressing a long time ago. It’s one of my favorites. It's equally at home on a green salad as it is on a pasta salad. It can be quickly made and used immediately, but comes to full flavor if left to sit overnight. It can also be used as a marinade for Chicken, Beef, Pork, and Sea Food.

3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp dried Sweet Basil

1 tsp dried Dill Weed

1 tsp water

1 tsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Honey

1/2 tsp geound Cayenne Pepper

1 large or 4 small cloves of Garlic, pressed

Combine all ingredients, shake well before using.

For Taste Sake

Change up the ingredients - try using some of the wonderful flavored vinegars and oils available. Red Wine vinegar can give it more of an Italian style. Try using tarragon flavored vinegar on a salad with chicken or chicken marinade.

Grilled Sweet Corn Salad

This is a wonderful summer time salad made with fresh ingredients, having the brilliant flavors and colors of summer. This salad needs no dressing, and little if any salt and pepper. It travels well and keeps in the refrigerator. It's tasty when the corn is still warm but can easily be served chilled.

Ingredients
2 large or 3 medium ears of fresh sweet corn
1/2 Can Black beans rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1/3 cup cubed feta cheese
1/3 cup minced onion
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes cut in half
1 Firm Ripe Avocado cubed

Directions
Remove the husk and silk from 2 big or 3 medium ears of sweet corn.
Grill the ears on a BBQ over a medium high heat turning the ears to achieve a nice even browning
Cut the kernels off the cob using a sharp knife
Add black beans, cilantro, avocado, onion feta cheese and gently toss.





For Taste Sake
For the onion use: Torpedo Onion, Green Onion, or Shallot.
A damp paper towel, rubbed along the corn’s kernels helps remove the silk.
Cut the kernels from the cob using the sharpest, thinnest fillet/boning knife you have – a dull knife will pop the kernels and give you mush.
It’s easiest to cut the kernels off from the tip of the cob to the stem.
A tea towel laid down under the stem will keep kernels from flying all over the kitchen when cut, a shallow rectangular baking dish, or a small inverted bowl placed in a larger bowl will also contain the kernels as they are cut.
When traveling I leave cutting and mixing the avocado, tomatoes, and maybe the Feta until I arrived at my destination.

Fred's Famous Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast Pizza!

Caramelized onions, Scrambled Eggs, Italian Sausage, Pepperoni and sharp cheddar cheese on a fluffy garlic bread!!!

Background;
Many years ago Breakfast Pizza was quite a novelty. I still remember my first one – some folks at work heard that a local pizza shop was making them and they delivered. So one Friday morning we chipped in and ordered one. Quite frankly once I got the concept I thought I could do better, so I set out to make a better Breakfast Pizza!

This recipe makes a big pizza – about 14” x 1 ½ to 2”. When I’m in the mood for breakfast pizza I’ll make it the night before, let it cool, wrap it completely in plastic wrap, put it back in the pan and into the fridge. It travels well if, when you make it, you spread the cheese to the edge. When the cheese melts it keeps everything else in place. At work I’ll find a piece of cardboard, place the pizza on it, open the plastic wrap, slice the pizza into pieces (grab my piece!) then cover with plastic wrap. My coworkers can then microwave their piece individually – about 35 seconds.

Recipe
 
 My early breakfast pizzas were made with the dough from a bread machine, the machine had a “Manual” setting which mixed the dough then stopped, and didn’t bake it  into bread. I now make the dough with my Kitchenaid.  A dough recipe is included at the end of this recipe.

Oil a deep dish pizza pan (I use a 14” diameter x 1 ½ high pan ) with vegetable oil (not olive oil) place dough in pan - flip dough over – stretch it to the edge of the pan, and cover with plastic wrap (doesn't need to completely cover pan) - I stretch the plastic wrap tight –so I can watch it rise towards the plastic wrap - place in warm draft free place for about an hour.

While the dough is rising:
Caramelize a large onion – cooking down an onion brings out the natural sugar in it. Slice the onion into small slices, place in a heated well oiled skillet, as the onion cooks down, turn down the heat every so often until they are limp and browned, you can “cheat” a little by sprinkling some sugar over the onion half way through the cooking process.
Brown 1/3 to 1/2 lb of sausage, I’ll cut a 1 lb breakfast sausage into 3rds or a 12oz chub in half and freeze the remainder. Brown until dry & crumbly.
Scramble 3 eggs, I like to season with salt & pepper – scramble until dry and crumbled.
Grate 1.5 cups cheese. Almost any cheese will do – I prefer a sharp cheddar.

 I put the onion, egg, sausage, sometimes mushrooms, pepperoni and whatever else I'm in the mood for, on the dough. I top with cheese, making sure it’s spread enough to secure all the toppings when it melts. Bake at 400 for about 15min or until the cheese is melted and crust is slightly browned. It’s a good idea to rotate the pizza half way through.

Dough Recipe

Here is the Kitchenaid recipe for bread:
Using the Dough Hook.
This makes a big Pizza - I use a 14 1/2" pan
1/2 Cup Low-fat milk
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 pkg Dry Yeast or 4 1/2 teaspoons of jar yeast
1 1/2 Cups warm water 105-115 degrees
5-6 cups bread flower or all purpose flower

Put milk, sugar, salt & butter in small saucepan - heat on low till butter melts & sugar dissolves - cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixing bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups flower - mix on speed 2, when mixed add remaining flower 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl - continue to kneed for another 3 minutes (now is a good time to add spices- while kneading)

If  I REALLY wanna kick it up - I add about a tablespoon (or two) of Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning, Caraway, Fennel & Dill seeds - It's pretty spicy for "White-Bread" people.

Sea Shells - Jumbo Pasta Shells - stuffed with Shrimp, Crab & Swiss Cheese!

This is one of my favorite hors d' oeuvres to make, and eat!


This appetizer is WONDERFUL on so many levels, first and foremost they are delicious, quick and easy to make, have eye appeal, can be made ahead, and they are served chilled.

I often keep a box of Jumbo Pasta Shells, cans of tiny shrimp and canned crab in my pantry at all times. I usually have at least 2 or 3 of the remaining ingredients: shallots, Swiss cheese, celery and mayonnaise in the refrigerator, so I may only have to go out for one or two of the ingredients before I can whip this appetizer up on short notice.

Makes about 20
 
Ingredients
1 box Jumbo Pasta Shells (16 oz.)
1 can tiny shrimp, drained approx 4.5 oz
1 can crab meat, drained approx 6oz
8oz (1/2 lb) shredded Swiss Cheese
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons chopped shallot

Stuffing Mixture
Place the Shrimp, Crab, Cheese, Mayonnaise, Celery, and Shallot in a bowl, then gently mix the ingredients together, trying not to mash it all together.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate while cooking the shells.

Cooking the Shells
Boil an adequate amount of water - approximately 6quarts, add salt, approx. 1/8 cup.
Add the shells to the boiling water, making sure they all become submerged quickly to ensure even cooking.
Gently stir the shells every so often, making sure they don't stick to the bottom.
To test for doneness: Pull out a shell, with the edge of a spoon or a knife blade snip off a piece of pasta and make certain that it's fully cooked, not “al dente”.

Stuffing the Shells
When the shells are fully cooked, drain them in a colander, and rinse in cold water, to stop the cooking process and to cool them to a comfortable working temperature.
Put the shells back into the pot used for cooking them, and add enough cold water to cover them half way, this keeps them moist while stuffing them.
Choose the best shells – some will have broken in the cooking process and there'll be some excess.
Remove a shell from the pot, and shake off excess water. Hold the shell open with one hand, and scoop about 1 tablespoon of your mixture into the shell. Form the shell into a natural shape and place on the plate.
When you’ve used up all of your stuffing mixture, cover the dish with plastic wrap to prevent them from sliding around and from drying out. Refrigerate until it’s time to serve them.

Tips
One annoying part about bringing a dish to a get together - is after it's over - remembering to retrieve your dish! I've lost some dishes that way! My solution - if it's not a really fancy occasion is to take a sturdy paper plate - the oval ones are my favorite. Cover it in aluminum foil and you have a semi fancy serving dish that's disposable. Placing another inverted dish on top, makes them ready to travel.

Put the leftover pasta in a baggie, later on, put pasta sauce over them and microwave, for a quick meal.

Clam Fritters

Background
In my younger days I’d study the Tide’s Tables, when there was a low tide in the winter during daylight AND on one of my day’s off – I’d head to Tamale’s Bay near the Point Rey’s National Park to an area called Lawson’s Landing. I’d arrive early, sometimes with my crab nets to throw off the pier and fishing rods to catch whatever would bite. At the proper time my friend & I (or at times by myself) would hop in my kayak and as the tide went out – head to the emerging island(s) out in the bay, beach the kayak and dig for the famous “Horse-neck clams’ they were huge! Each clam weighed about 3 pounds and had a “neck” on it that could stretch about 3 feet – which meant the clam was 3 feet deep in the sand and mud. If you’ve ever dug a hole in the sand at the beach you know that you’d only get so deep before the hole collapsed in on itself. I had a 3’ x 16” piece of PVC pipe that I’d shove into the sand. Shovel sand out of it, push it down, and shovel some more – by time it was completely buried – I’d found my clam! The limit was 10, so on to the next one! By time the tide came back in I had 30 pounds of clams! LOTS of material to make all kinds of epicurean delights with – mostly a killer clam chowder and clam fritters! That was many years ago!
Recently my wife came home with a package of Razor Clams – thinking “They look cool, and Fred can probably make something yummy with them’. Well they stayed in the freezer for a little while, then came the time to cook them, my mind sifted thought the possibilities and I settled on an old recipe of mine – Clam Fritters – would these new clams prove suitable? – the verdict YES!

Recipe
Clam Fritters
I’ve only made these with Horse Neck clams and now Razor Clams (I can’t guarantee results with other species of clams)
I grind up the clam meat with a meat grinder attachment for my Kitchenaid, if you’re using a food processor – “pulse” it until you get a “rough chop” or if you don’t have a grinder or food processor, you can “mice” the clam meat to about 1/8” bits.
You’re looking for a 1:1 ratio of Clam meat to Cracker Crumbs
1 cup minced clam meat
1 cup cracker crumbs (crush them by hand in a bag – rough crush not “dust’)
1 egg
1 TBSP minced fresh Flat-leaf /Italian parsley (if you have to use dried ½ TSPB)
1 TBSP minced fresh ginger
1 TBSP minced fresh garlic
1 pinch salt (I like to use a “big grain’ salt like “Kosher” salt
1 pinch black pepper
Mix together to get a sticky mix – if it’s too lose add more cracker crumbs

Over a medium heat in a frying pan add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, form a golf ball size portion of the mixture – roll it into a ball then flatten it into about ½’ patty – drop into the oil and brown on both sides. Remove to a paper towel lined dish to drain. They are wonderful all alone but for variety, serve with dipping sauces of, Cocktail Sauce, Tartar Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce or a 1:1 mix of Mayo and flavored mustard (Wasabi, Dijon, Orange, Raspberry)
You can easily make these the day before and microwave or reheat in the oven, they freeze well up to a month.
Bon appetite!


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