Oysters Rockefeller

A friend recently requested Oysters Rockefeller for his Birthday celebration.  As I was trolling the web for a recipe to pilfer, I quickly found out that you just can't steal this recipe.

Some say that the original recipe went to the grave with its creator, Jules Alciatore, while others say the original recipe is a closely guarded secret which can only be found at the original Antoine's Restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Prep Time:  1/2 hour plus shucking

Cook Time:  6 to 10 minutes

Total Time:  1 hour

Servings:  About 3 dozen oysters

Compound butter ingredients

Finished compound butter

Ingredients:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup) room temperature

2 tbsp finely chopped green onions, white and light green parts

2 tbsp finely diced celery

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chopped italian parsley

1 cup finely chopped watercress leaves

2 tbsp Pernod liquor

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

1/8 cup panko bread crumbs

3 dozen oysters - shucked and on the half shell

Rock salt is used to keep the shells upright during baking

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prepare the compound butter.  Combine the onion, celery, Pernod, and fresh herbs with the softened butter in a small bowl.
• Place rock salt on the bottom of an 11"x14" baking pan.  
• Place oysters on the half shell on baking pan.  Add the compound butter to the oysters, with a dusting of Panko over the top.
• Bake for 6 to 10 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Recipe Links:

Here is a simple version which formed the basis for my version from Chef John.

Here's how to shuck an Oyster 

Stuffies

A staple of New England summer cuisine, these stuffed clams are known regionally as Stuffies.  This stuffed clam recipe is a first for me.  It is my first stolen non-recipe.  What?  It was inspired by a chef who touts a "No Recipe Lifestyle".  Fresh ingredients and sound culinary techniques provide the foundation for his dishes.  I soon found out that I was on my own and was forced to improvise.  The results were fantastic.

Local fresh clams, right from the sea

I bumped into Chef Todd Mohr online when doing a search for "What to do with 200 fresh clams".  We had an exceptional morning of clamming and I wanted some inspiration, I wanted to do something besides the same old steamers and chowder.  I also love classic stuffed clams and always wanted to make this dish.

Plan on shucking about 3 raw clams for every 1 stuffed clam

Given the fact I had no recipe to follow, I was forced to carefully review the techniques.  I will say there are a few things key to the success of this dish.  First, start with the freshest clams you can get.  Second, plan on shucking about 3 raw clams for every 1 stuffed clam.  Third, lightly pulse the raw clams in a food processor prior to mixing into the stuffing.  This breaks down the largest chewy parts of the clams and better incorporates the clams into the mix.

Clam broth, lightly minced chowder clams, and raw whole shucked clams.
I used the raw whole shucked clams for the stuffies.

Prep Time:  About 1 hour (Includes shucking clams time)

Total Time:  About 2 hours

Servings:  33 clams

Ingredients:

100 fresh clams

1/4 cup of butter

1 cup of panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Freshly ground black pepper, basil, and oregano (to taste)

Thin sliced bacon (optional)

Method:

• Shuck 100 or so clams.  Clean and reserve a third, or 33 of the largest shells.  Separate the clams from the juice.  Reserve the clam juice for another use.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
• Lightly pulse the clams in a food processor - do not  over process.
• In a large sautee pan over medium heat, melt the butter - do not brown the butter.
• Add the clams to the pan.  After a few moments the clams will release much of their own moisture and will begin to poach in their own liquid. Watch the temperature to ensure the clams do not boil or simmer, but continue to poach.
• Stir in the panko bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese.  This is the thickener and will soak up most of the liquid.
• Taste the mixture in the pan, and add fresh ground black pepper and other seasonings to taste.  Once the seasoning is just right, add the fresh chopped aromatic parsley.
• Place the empty shells on a baking sheet and evenly divide the stuffing mixture into the shells.  You can place a small piece of raw bacon onto each clam if you wish. 
• Place clams in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until clams are bubbling around the edges and the bacon, if used, is cooked through.

You can also freeze these stuffed clams for cooking at a later date.  Just extend the time the clams are in the oven to 30-35 minutes or so.

Recipe Links:

You will need to learn how to shuck clams, here's how.

Here is the original recipe video which inspired this post.

Brined and Roasted Pecans

After trying these fresh and home roasted, you may never want to eat a canned nut again!  

As published in Southern Living, December 2010 

Prep Time:  10 Minutes

Total Time:  35 Minutes

Makes:  2-1/2 Cups

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water

1/2 cup sugar

2-1/2 cups Pecan halves

3 tablespoons kosher salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Stir together 2 cups warm water and 1/2 cup sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Soak Pecan halves in water mixture 10 minutes; drain well.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons kosher salt in a foil lined pan.
• Arrange pecans in a single layer in pan; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
• Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
• Toss Pecans in a strainer to remove excess salt, if desired.

Recipe Links:

Here is a link to the original post.

Awesome Artichokes

A click from the garden - late June

Artichokes with Roasted Garlic Wine Dip

As published in Cooking Light magazine June 2007

Prep Time:    15 minutes 

Cook Time:   One hour and 15 minutes

Servings:       4 servings

Ingredients:

2 whole garlic heads

4 medium to large artichokes

3 cups of vegetable stock

3 to 4 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup of vegetable broth

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

chopped fresh parsley (garnish)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves).  Wrap each head separately in foil.  Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes; cool 10 minutes.  Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp.  Discard skins to compost pile.
• Clean and trim artichokes.  Place artichokes, stem side down, in a large dutch oven.
• Pour in the vegetable stock and enough water so that the artichokes are almost covered.  Add bay leaves and spoon about a teaspoon of minced garlic over each artichoke.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until a leaf near the center of each artichoke pulls out easily.  Remove artichokes from pan.
• Combine the garlic pulp and the wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add broth, butter, and salt; whisk until garlic is nicely broken up.  Cook until reduced to 1/2 a cup.
• Sprinkle dip with parsley, if desired.  Serve dip with warm artichokes.

Recipe Links:

Here is the original post from Cooking Light.

A click from the Kitchen - late May

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

These sausage and cheese filled caps are easy to make and are a delicious appetizer. There are many different versions of this out there. This recipe is pretty basic. Enjoy!

I based this recipe on one I found on the CookEatShare website.  My wife suggested I add some Pine Nuts and a little Parmesan.  They came out great.

Prep Time:  20 to 30 Minutes

Cook Time:  15 Minutes

Servings:  Makes about 30 medium mushrooms or 17 large mushrooms.

Nutritional Information:

Serving size:  6 medium mushrooms or 3 large

Calories:  243

Fat:  17.3g

Saturated Fat:  5.5g

Cholesterol:  34.6mg

Sodium:  408.3mg

Total Carbohydrate:  8.7g

Dietary Fiber:  1.8g

Sugars:  2.3g

Protein:  15g

The ingredients and Method are straight from a Sausage Stuffed Mushroom Recipe posting by the CookEatShare Cookbook. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound mushrooms (medium or large stuffing type)

1/2 pound pork sausage meat

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

2 Tablespoons parmesan (optional)

Fresh parsley for garnish

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove stems from mushroom caps and chop stems.  Set aside.
• In a large skillet, cook sausage until well browned.  Remove cooked meat to paper towels to drain using a slotted spoon. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the skillet.
• In drippings, over medium heat, saute stems with garlic till tender, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove skillet from heat, let cool slightly, stir in sausage, bread crumbs, cheeses and pine nuts.
• Fill mushroom caps with sausage mix.  Place stuffed caps in a jellyroll pan.
• Bake 15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Recipe Links:

Here is a bunch of similar posts.

Homemade Cheese

An easy recipe with a great fresh taste, homemade cheese is made to please.

I got this simple farmer's cheese recipe from Chef John's Foodwishes Blog.  Apparently so has everyone else, it is very popular.  For good reason, it is fun and easy, with a minimum of ingredients.

Prep Time:  About 2 minutes

Cook Time:  About 10 minutes, plus an hour of straining followed by some chill time.

Servings:  Makes about a cup of cheese.

Recipe Source:  You Can Make Cheese. Posted March , 2010 on the Foodwishes video recipe blog.

Recipe Links:

I think this is the original post from June, 2008.