Monthly Archives: April 2012

Savory Green Onion “Pancakes”

24 Tuesday Apr 2012

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I couldn’t wait until my usual Sunday blogging day to share this wonderful discovery…a savory pancake!  When I think of pancakes I think of my childhood, making buttermilk pancakes for breakfast from scratch on Saturday mornings with my Dad, using his grandmother’s trusted recipe. I have that recipe firmly planted in my own recipe box.  Great memories.  And yes, those were the years when I was an early riser.

These pancakes are great as a side dish paired with a salad or, as I’ve discovered, a quick and unusual light dinner entrée. 

Four servings…two pancakes:

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 4 8-inch flour tortillas
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1/3 C finely chopped green onions or scallions, white and green parts
  • 1 T peanut or vegetable oil, plus more as needed

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg with the sesame oil.  Brush each tortilla with the egg mixture and then sprinkle two of the tortillas with the sesame seeds and green onions.  Place one of the plain tortillas over each of the sprinkled tortillas and sandwich them together, pressing down to seal, forming two whole pancakes.

Heat the peanut or vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  When hot, add a pancake to the pan and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.  Repeat with remaining pancakes using more oil if needed.

Cut each pancake into 6 wedges and divide them amongst serving plates.

Fivenineteen notes:  I’ve sautéed these over both olive oil (when I couldn’t find peanut oil) and with peanut oil, and the peanut oil does make a difference with the flavor.  So track it down if you can.

We’re goin’ hoppin’…

22 Sunday Apr 2012

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During a typical lunch-at-my-desk day at work last week I took a mental break and browsed over to CNN.com.  And my heart fluttered and dropped into my stomach.  There was the late-breaking headline at the top of the page…Dick Clark had passed away.  I slumped down into my chair and sighed.  Man oh man.

Didn’t he seem completely indestructible?  Ageless?  How is this possible that he’s no longer with us?  That slick, made-for-TV presence and voice, yet he seemed very personable and down to earth. 

Now, if you are around age 30-35 or younger, music videos and MTV and the like have pretty much been around your entire life.  Flip on the TV or go on the internet and find what you want to listen to, when you want to.  But in the decades prior to that revolution…there was American Bandstand.  THIS is what I remember as a young girl growing up.  Saturday afternoons.  After the cartoons were done (and perhaps a bunch of negotiating with my folks about how much TV I was allowed to watch)…it was time to watch Bandstand.  Great music and people dancing on the stage.  On the floor and up on cool risers. The clothes, energy…and FUN. Everyone looked so happy and like they were having so much fun.  Damn, I wanted to be up there dancing too! 

A friend of mine had the record album with the theme song on it.  I remember dancing around her bedroom to it as a kid.  She had older brothers, and so it was easy to borrow one of their albums and play it.  We didn’t have a lot of that music in my house growing up. 

“We’re goin’ hoppin’…we’re goin’ hoppin’ today / where things are poppin’ the Philadelphia way / we’re gonna drop in on all the music they play on the Bandstand (Bandstand)…”  Ahhh, ya gotta love Barry Manilow. That’s the start of the Bandstand Boogie, by the way.  The show always opened and closed with that theme song as long as I can remember, so it’s seered deep in my brain.

But Bandstand had been on the air long before I was old enough to discover it.  In reading all the stories bubbling up on line after the news of Mr. Clark’s passing, I was stunned.  He’d hosted that show for over 30 years!  Can you imagine the thousands of people he met over that time period?  And new artists getting their big breaks performing on that show.  I remember a young Madonna performing one of her songs in the early 1980s when she was just starting out, and Mr. Clark interviewing her afterwards.  What was her goal, he asked her?  “…to rule the world,” Madonna replied.   So, how’s she doing so far, everyone?  Not too shabby a career I’d say.

So if Bandstand wasn’t ever on your radar, I bet most everyone has seen or heard of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.  A New Year’s Eve tradition.  A mainstay. I remember as a kid I was often left home with a babysitter as my folks would go out for new years.  And the babysitter would let me stay up until midnight and watch the ball drop in Times Square.  Sooooo cool.  And as an adult if I didn’t have New Years Eve plans…well, Mr. Clark was always there.  A TV BFF I could count on to entertain me as we got ready to welcome another new year.

Like many, I was saddened to hear of his stroke a few years ago.  And shocked when he made his reappearance on his show the following New Year’s.  It was like he had aged 100 years overnight.  His speech impaired from his stroke.  My hat’s off at that brave effort.  The man belonged on TV no matter what.

I’ve been reading a few articles about his life and career and incredible influence these past few days.  He’s quoted as summarizing up Bandstand like this: “I played records, the kids danced, and America watched.”  Ahhhh, but Mr. Clark, it was SO much more than that.   

Thank you, Mr. Clark.  Such a tremendous legacy you’ve left us. 

Do you have a favorite memory from Bandstand?  Or New Year’s Rockin’ Eve?  Please share!

Charred Ahi Tuna with Pasta Puttanesca

21 Saturday Apr 2012

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My first reaction was “HUH?” when I spotted this recipe.  I adore ahi tuna as a happy hour appetizer with a nice blob of wasabi on the side, and the pungent puttanesca sauce ingredients are a nice change from plain old pasta and pesto.  But combined together??  Seemed a little strange.  But then again…this recipe is from a Tom Douglas cookbook.  So I knew it would turn out great. 

Serves 4

1/3 C extra virgin olive oil, plus more for panfrying the tuna

4 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

1/2 tsp dried Greek oregano

1 1/2 C seeded and diced Roma tomatoes

1/2 C pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives

1/4 C dry white wine

3 T chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

2 T capers, drained

6 anchovies, finely chopped (about 1 T)

1 tsp grated lemon zest

4 lemon wedges, seeded

1 lb fresh sashimi-grade ahi tuna, cut into four 4-oz portions (thick chunks or steaks are best)

Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper

1 lb fresh linguine or dried linguine

Put a pot of salted water on to boil for cooking the pasta.  Put a large saute pan over high heat.  Add the olive oil, garlic, pepper flakes, oregano and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Stir in the tomatoes, olives, wine, parsley, capers anchovies and lemon zest. Squeeze the lemon wedges into the pan and throw them right into the sauce.  Let the sauce simmer for 2 – 3 minutes.

Season the tuna with salt and pepper and sear it in another saute pan over high heat using a little olive oil.  Sear the tuna rare (raw in the middle), about a minute per side.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until it is al dente.  Drain the pasta and toss it in a bowl with the sauce.  Taste the sauce, and then season it with salt and pepper.

Divide the pasta and sauce among 4 plates or shallow soup bowls.  Slice the tuna portions across the grain and fan the sliced tuna over each serving of pasta.

My notes:  timing is everything with this dish because the ingredients come together very quickly.  I recommend starting the pot of water to boil for the pasta before doing the prep work with chopping and dicing the tomatoes and olives (if you are using dried pasta like I did which takes a little longer to cook).  Try putting the pasta on to cook and then start cooking the sauce and searing the steaks.

Some may prefer fresh oregano to dried, but the dried oregano has the right intensity for this sauce.  Taste the sauce before adding any additional salt and pepper, as the olives and anchovies are already salty.  Do a “smell test” of your dried oregano beforehand.  If it’s not super pungent, throw it out and get a fresh jar.

Be sure to choose sashimi-grade ahi tuna because it will be rare in the middle after you sear it (by design).  And be prepared for some sticker shock – it was $23.00 / lb when I swung by the seafood counter at my favorite grocery store.  So I went with just a half a pound…and it’s worth every penny.

I prefer adding the chopped parsley just before serving, rather than during the cooking process.  This keeps the parsley’s flavor fresh and it’s a nice color contrast with the pasta, sauce and the tuna steaks.

I too was a little squeamish and “ewww” about the anchovies.  It’s not something I typically shop for.  But anchovies are essential for the true, pungent flavor you want in this sauce.  When they are diced up and done sautéing you won’t even notice they are there.  But your fingers might smell a little after chopping them up.  Rub some lemon wedges over them to fix that.

Do you know what “puttanesca” means?  Well, pasta puttanesca literally means “whore’s spaghetti.”  There are many stories to its origins, but the version I recall most vividly is from an Italian cooking instructor I had the pleasure of learning from many years ago.  “…the sauce is HOT, CHEAP and QUICK”  she exclaimed.  Ah, got it.

Buon appetito!

From Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen

Sleeping in Anticipation

15 Sunday Apr 2012

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I seem to write a lot about sleeping in here.  Part of that is because my usual blogging day here, Sunday, is synonymous with SLEEP.  Sleeping in.  Glorious, glorious sleep.  Without a sound sleep I’m a wreck…well, usually I can get through on caffeine and adrenaline and fake it the next day, but the next night – WHAMMO.  Gotta get those zzzzs.   And weekends are essential to recharge.

When I was in college, the first class of the day was not calculus, art history or philosophy but choir my freshman, sophomore and junior years.  At 8am, sharp.  And I could have been up late studying or partying until 3am the night prior yet bounced out of bed no problem on just a few hours sleep, ready to sing!  What an incredible way to start the day.  Truly energized me.  And where in hell did I find all that energy to get through college life on 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night (or less)?  Oh – duh – I was 19.

Spring seems to finally be springing around here.  I can open the townhouse windows for some fresh air and not worry about freezing to death or rain coming in, and even went to work a couple of times last week without a coat.  Ooops, we had rain later in the afternoon but it didn’t matter.  Here in the Seattle area we don’t let a little rain ruin our day.

I met D for a walk yesterday…back to Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland for another look at the protected wetlands along Lake Washington like we did a few weeks ago.  The view of the lake shore from the boardwalk is endlessly fascinating…every time we visit something is different.  Yesterday it was clear spring had sprung – birds were chirping loudly all around us in the trees and turtles covered the logs floating just under the lake surface.  I felt the sun radiating down and through me and was glad I had plopped on a light running cap and some sunscreen before heading out.  A couple of hard-core photographers were out with their impressive cameras. Huge, long lenses on tripods all wrapped in camouflage fabric.  That’s when you know it’s good…even the pros are out!  We chatted briefly with them and they pointed out a bald eagle high up in a tree.  Wow my distance vision is not so great, but as I focused more I could see a white head far, far up.

We walked on, determined to get a good workout.  Time for some hills!  And the West of Market neighborhood in Kirkland delivers.  Along with some steep, winding hills you get major real estate eye candy.  Beautiful homes with fantastic views of the lake.  Most all of the older summer home cabins have long been torn down and replaced with modern homes, but there are still a couple of adorable holdouts.  This is the neighborhood where you can get wonderfully lost, almost in a dizzy, dreamlike state, just blocks from the anchor of Market Street.  I love it.

I went over to L’s last night to watch hockey and hang out.  Sausage hot dogs with the works, chips and a couple of beers with my guy BFF.  Love it.  And yes, L is a huge Chicago Blackhawks fan and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are under way.  So I had to be silly and annoying and arrive at his house in a Vancouver Canucks t-shirt. ‘Cause those are my boys!! The Vancouver/Chicago rivalry is just a few years old but rumbling up into something fierce.  And it just won’t be the playoffs without a Vancouver/Chicago matchup again this year.  It just won’t.  Last night it was Chicago and Phoenix.  Chicago won in OT.  This is gonna be an intense series alright!

So…anticipation.  I woke up today with a smile on my face and wondered.  Spring is coming…and there’s so much to look forward to.  Hockey – the Canucks gotta win it tonight in LA or they are going to be painfully behind in a best of 7 series.  Losing those first two games at home?  Pathetic, boys…play your game already!!  And even more hockey – I’ve got a late playoff game tonight in my own league.  Double elimination and we’ve already lost one.  So let’s bring it, team!! 

I thought about my job and how in a few weeks I’ll know for sure if my consulting engagement will be extended out further into the summer and early fall.  Right now I’m mobilizing, for officially I’m wrapping up end of June by design.  Keeping my network up to date and soon it will be time to refresh my resume.  This group has been one of the strongest and healthiest teams I’ve ever worked shoulder to shoulder with.  And if my time with them is winding down, well, the bar is set high and this will be a tough act to follow.  But so many new doors will open!

Later this month I’m going to attend a 2 day workshop on understanding men and their behavior.  My friend T raved about it and I can’t wait!  Stay tuned for more posts on that. 

I’m going to embark on a 5-day cleanse of sorts, with a pack of meal-replacement shakes, snack bars and vitamin supplements I purchased last month at a seminar my new friend M lead.  I have an extra pack of the meal-replacement mix (yummy French vanilla and gluten-free) and I’ve tried a few times mixing up a glass for a breakfast or lunch replacement.  But something in me has been reluctant to do the 5-day cleanse.  I think about all of the food recipes I’ve posted in here…can I do a 3 liquid meals a day for 5 days straight?  I love the textures and flavors of food.  This cleanse means 5 days of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla beverages in steady rotation.  And yet it’s only FIVE DAYS.  What am I waiting for?  In early 2010 I kicked a nasty, 25-year Diet Coke addiction cold turkey with zero problems.  So I can do this too, right?

Ahhh…I know what the blocker is.  I’m worried about my energy level.  M did comment that energy levels can temporarily drop with some people as their body resets with the low glycemic beverages.  I’m worried I’ll be lethargic and not able to skate my best for my team.  So there it is…I’ll start the cleanse after my own team’s playoffs are done.

And maybe it’s time to get back to regular exercising again.  Skating once a week does not do it.  D and I want to get out on walks more often and maybe that’s the motivation I need – doing this with a friend – to get me back in shape and feeling more like myself when I look in the mirror.  My body does respond well to regular, brisk walking.  And I’m in dire need of some new spring and summer clothes and would love to feel more comfortable shopping like I did when I was slimmer a few years ago.  The times when you know your size and you know it’s going to fit and look well.  Someday I’ll be back there again. 

I finally got my damn passport in the mail for renewal.  So funny how the procedures change decade to decade.  Don’t laugh, but I got new pictures taken 7 or 8 months ago.  MONTHS.  And I’ve either been too busy or too frustrated trying to find the forms to fill out.  I have to laugh at myself because I’m pretty resourceful finding things online.  Somehow the passport renewal was a stumper.  BUT I cracked the code, filled out the forms, mailed in my check and old passport and we’re on our way.

Nothing like a fresh, new passport to open a whole world (no pun intended) of anticipation.

Finding Strengths

08 Sunday Apr 2012

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I thought STRENGTH would be a great topic to blog about this weekend, given we have both Passover AND Easter right smack on the same weekend.  How often does that happen?  I bet an online search could figure that out in a few minutes.

…but OK, back on track here.  Let’s try not to do a wackadoodle tangent too soon shall we?

I gotta hand it to my friend D for recommending not one but TWO great books to me.  She’s a bold, joyous and wonderful soul, not really caring that I tell her quite often that I’m not an avid book reader.  I’m just not.  After being on a computer all day I like to escape with some silly TV or maybe some magazine reading or catalogue browsing.  I know, not the best brain cell exercising.  Maybe D just knows deep down I’m going be curious and want to read what she recommends anyway.  She’s right!

So here we go.  What are YOUR strengths?  Pick up StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath and get ready to find out.  Buckle up, because this is not your typical book.

Why not?  Well, the first 30 of the 175 pages are the required reading.  The rest of the book reviews themes – 34 talents most common in human behavior that are indicative of success.  When you are done with the questionnaire within this book you’ll know your top 5 of these 34 that are uniquely YOU. 

The idea is to focus on what’s RIGHT with people, rather than fixing our weaknesses.  “People have several times more potential for growth when they invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies,” writes Rath.  He calls doing otherwise “The path of MOST resistance.” 

Rath goes on to explain how most learning programs focus on helping us become what we are NOT.  Do you suck at numbers?  Spend time in that area and get a degree already.  Are you not very empathetic?  You’ll get sent to a course designed to make you more of an empathetic type.  He goes on to explain how we even make icons of people who struggle to overcome a lack of natural talent.  Anyone remember the early 1990s film Rudy?  I never saw it myself, but Rath uses it as a glorious Exhibit A.  Rudy Ruetigger was a groundskeeper at Notre Dame.  At 5′ 6″ and 165 lbs he wasn’t the type physically to play college football, but he had big ‘heart.’  He worked tirelessly to gain admission to Notre Dame.  Rejected three times in the process.  He joined the practice football team.  Took a beating daily in practices for years but never got to join his team on the sidelines.  

Finally he is allowed to suit up for the last game of his senior year. In the last moments of the game, with a Notre Dame win comfortably guaranteed, his teammates lobby the coach to put him in.  Rudy goes in for a single play…and tackles the opposing team’s quarterback.

Of course Rudy becomes an instant hero – the fans cheer his name and carry him off the field.  He’s invited to meet President Clinton, Colin Powell and the legendary Joe Montana.  Says Rath:  “While Rudy’s perseverance is admirable, in the end, he played a few seconds of college football and made a single tackle…after thousands of hours of practicing.” 

Hope no one is upset about the spoiler here.  After all, this movie’s been out nearly 20 years!  And it’s a true story too.

“You can be anything you want to be.”  Can we?  Rath suggests on the contrary that…

You cannot be anything you want to be, but you CAN be a lot more of who you already are.

Are you intrigued?  So was I.  And, a tad relieved I didn’t have to read the entire book – true confession.  What also was different about this book is that there’s an important, sealed insert which has a unique access key to the StrengthsFinder website.  You’ll create an account on that website and then start the questionnaire.

What the questionnaire does is capture your instinctual, first in your head responses.  You only have 20 seconds to respond to each item.  Now, there are no questions about your education or degree or anything you would typically put on a resume.  You won’t be asked about your skills, like writing software code, driving a truck or selling a product.  Your questionnaire results will identify your innate talents, which are less likely to change over time.  These talents (themes) each come with a few examples of what they “sound like,” ideas for action to further capitalize upon them, and recommendations on working more effectively with those with that particular theme or talent (where it’s not necessarily one of yours).  This is a highly recommended exercise for work teams to gain a deeper understanding of one another, hence the “working with” suggestions too.

And, allow me to share my top 5!  I smiled as I read through these, as I really do think they are ME.

Woo:  People who are especially talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over.  They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person.

Communication:  People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words.  They are good conversationalists and presenters.

Positivity:  People who are especially talented in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious.  They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

Arranger:  People who are especially talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that compliments this ability.  They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity.

Achiever:  People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard.  They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.

Oh, and what was that black object doing on the cover of this book at the top of this post?  That’s a rock I found on a window sill in my guest bedroom…part of a collection I purchased as part of a hearth candle display.  I found it yesterday as I wandered into that bedroom and smiled looking down at my neighbor and his brother who have been wonderful getting my back deck power washed and re-stained in anticipation of spring and summer.  I clenched the rock in my hands and smiled.  And then, I opened my hand and look at the word etched on it.

STRENGTH.

Weekend double shot bonus (and encore) recipe: Do or die with the ground beef…

06 Friday Apr 2012

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So to debunk my typical Sunday posting routine, I’m rebelling and re-surfacing (re-bumping, is that a word?) one of my favorite slow cooker recipes I posted last fall.  When you’ve got ground beef thawing in the fridge for the second time around after refreezing it, it’s got to move forward or risk losing its flavor… or maybe that’s just me. Thankfully it’s still sealed up like it was in the grocery store.

Polenta with Bolognese Sauce isn’t the traditional way to welcome Spring, but Spring has yet to officially boing and spring around here.  Cold, biting winds, a few snow flurries even into early April, rain (well, that’s typical) and some nasty flu bugs going around are making it tough to break free from the grips of Winter here in the Seattle area. 

So here’s a hearty meal to fight that off – a Bolognese sauce prepared in a slow cooker and later baked with sliced polenta and some parmesan.  This is glorious and well worth the time – trust me on this one.

Bolognese Sauce
Makes about 12 cups (3 quarts)

2 T olive oil
2 oz pancetta, chopped
2 small, finely chopped yellow onions
2 finely chopped carrots
1 stalk finely chopped celery
3 lbs ground beef
2 C beef broth
1 1/2 C dry red wine
1 can (28 oz) crushed or diced plum tomatoes
1/2 C milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Italian leaf parsley, minced for garnish (optional)   

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.  Add the pancetta and saute until it begins to render its fat, about 1 minute.  Add the onions, carrots and celery and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer red, about 7 minutes.

Transfer to the slow cooker.  Add the broth and wine to the pan and raise the heat to high.  Bring to a boil and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom.  Pour the liquid into the slow cooker along with the tomatoes and stir to combine.

Cover and cook the sauce on the high heat setting for 4 hours, or the low heat setting for 8 hours.  Add the milk, stirring to combine.  Cover and continue cooking for 20 minutes longer.  Season with salt and pepper.

…now, how do you use this sauce?  Toss it with some fettucine and sprinkle in fresh-grated Parmesan cheese. 

Or try it with Polenta:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Butter a gratin baking dish (I actually just use a 9 x 13 glass casserole).  Take a tube of prepared Polenta (18 oz) and slice it crosswise into slices about 1/4″ thick.  Arrange the slices in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping them.  Spoon the Bolognese sauce around the slices generously and sprinkle a 1/2 cup of fresh-grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake until the sauce is hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.  Served with minced fresh Italian parsley for garnish.

Fivenineteen’s notes:  I added a small ‘blob’ of minced garlic for a little extra punch when sauteeing the onions, carrots and celery.  Guessing about 2 or 3 teaspoons.  I just spontaneously grabbed a small caviar-type spoon, scooped up some garlic and threw it into the pan. Love that aroma! Most of you who tune in regularly know I prefer minced garlic in a jar as it’s so much more convenient than peeling/pressing fresh garlic.  AND you won’t notice a difference – promise.

I also recommend adding the crushed tomatoes to the slow cooker BEFORE pouring in the broth and red wine mixture.  It will save you a lot of potential stains and splashes on your countertops and on yourself.  You can also reduce the amount of red wine and broth slightly – maybe a quarter cup total.  I boiled the mixture for quite a few minutes to reduce it down before adding to the slow cooker but there still is a fair amount of liquid remaining even after the slow cooking is finished. 

The flavors are incredible…enjoy!

From the Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Slow Cooker Recipes book.

Singing the Tom Douglas Praises…again

01 Sunday Apr 2012

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Along with other Seattle treasures like Starbucks, Nordstrom, Microsoft, Amazon, hiking, boating and skiing literally in our back yard, lush green, beautiful mountains and a few decent professional sports teams…we have Chef Tom Douglas.  He and his wife, Jackie, are the owners of five restaurants:  Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s, Palace Kitchen, Lola, and Serious Pie, all in downtown Seattle.  You simply cannot talk about great food in Seattle without mentioning Tom!  Now, I have yet to try Lola and Serious Pie, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s and the Palace Kitchen.  I smile and remember grabbing brunch at Etta’s one morning with friends and walking up a few blocks to catch a matinee performance of the symphony at Benaroya Hall.  A blissful Seattle day!  This was a few years ago, and I remember it was hard finding restaurants downtown that were open for breakfast or brunch.  So a walk down to Etta’s it was.  I hear Lola has an incredible breakfast.  Definitely on the to-try list.

I was suprised to learn that he’s originally from Delaware!  His dishes capture Pacific Northwest flavors to a T; his signature is using fresh, local ingredients to put a fresh twist on a classic dish.  Charred ahi tuna with pasta puttanesca anyone?  This is next on my list to make…I’m curious how the tuna will taste with a pungent puttanesca sauce!

I was definitely craving some food variety this weekend and that’s a good sign.  I’ve been a little run down…not with a flu or cold or anything I could put my finger on.  Just tired.  And not really motivated to cook.  When I get home from work and am exhausted it’s all I can do to whip up some pasta and pesto…my own form of comfort food.  But even that gets boring after awhile.

So this weekend it was off to the grocery store.  I thumbed through Tom’s Seattle Kitchen cookbook, savoring the wonderful ingredients and the stories behind the recipes, looking for inspiration on what to cook.  Sometimes I like to play a game with myself and just randomly pick a page in a cookbook and THAT’S what I’ll be making for dinner that night.  Ooops…not up to making a dish with octopus in it, so I kept flipping the pages.

Then I found it:  a clam linguine recipe with pancetta, jalapenos and garlic.  See what I mean about a fresh twist on a classic?  Never would have thought about pairing up jalapenos with clams.  But it sounded intriguing!  And delicious!  Then I realized I had some shrimp that needed to be used up soon in my fridge and decided to use that instead of clams.  Now, normally when I try something for the first time I follow the recipe pretty much exactly as written and then make my own notes on what to tweak.  But the shrimp won out.  I’m sure Tom won’t mind.

Here’s a confession:  I absolutely adore grocery shopping.  Roaming the aisles, wondering what wonderful dishes are just dying to come out of all these wonderful foods.  Looking at the spices and wondering what else I need to add to my collection.  Cheeses, vegetables, wines…fantastic, glorious food!  Now I’m sure I would feel differently about grocery shopping if I had kids to feed.  Might be more of a chore than a joy.  Sure, we all need to eat, but for me being single with no kids, grocery shopping is an adventure.  Yep, I’m a true Taurus…I LOVE my food and take it damn seriously.  But not so serious to also have a little humor and play around with it.  Try new things!  Take risks!  The food isn’t going to bite you. 

There are a lot of ingredients, but this goes together quickly – serves 4

  • 2 jalapenos, cut in half and seeded
  • 1/4 C olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 ox pancetta, diced (1/2 C)
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
  • 2 lbs clams, scrubbed and rinsed
  • 1/4 C dry white wine
  • 1 lb linguine
  • 1/4 C unsalted butter
  • 4 tsp chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 C fresh, flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 C shaved parmesan cheese
  • 4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Start a pot of salted water boiling to cook the pasta later.  Brush the jalapeno halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.  When cool enough to handle, dice finely.

Put a large saute pan over medium high heat. Heat 1/4 C olive oil, add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the jalapeno, garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, another minute. Turn the heat to high.  Add the clams and wine and cover. Cook until the clams open, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente.  Add the butter, chopped parsley, lemon juice and zest to the clams in the pan and toss until the butter melts into the sauce.  Drain the pasta.

In a large serving bowl, toss the pasta with the clam sauce and whole parsley leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

NOTE:  feel free to put Parmesan on this dish, despite the Italian thing about “no cheese with fish.”  Use grated cheese or make Parmesan curls with a potato peeler. Make sure the clams mostly end up on top of the pasta, facing up.  Move them around with tongs if you need to. Discard any unopened clams.  Garnish with lemon wedges.

This is absolutely delicious…even substituting shrimp for the clams!  Now, as I’ve always said (and learned the hard way awhile back), be sure to read a recipe all the way through before you start.  A recipe is not a mystery novel with a surprise ending!  You don’t want to get caught with your pants down getting ingredients prepared only to then read, “Cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.”  Oops…you’ll be ordering pizza for dinner probably instead.   So when I read about roasting the jalapenos in the oven, I laughed a little.  Is it ridiculous to heat up a whole oven to 400 degrees to just roast four small jalapeno halves?  Answer:  YES.  Does it really make a difference?  YES.  Be sure to take the time to roast the peppers…the flavor would be totally different if they had been just thrown into the saute pan uncooked.  So trust me (and Tom) on this.

Buon appetito!