Magical Mussel Elixir

This post may be too little too late, but that's only if when you originally read about my steamed mussels, you rushed right out to make them. Since the majority (all!) of you probably did not make them in the last few days, you can safely file this post away for when you actually do make the mussels. The point is to not let the broth go to waste!

I think the mussel broth is the magical elixir that exists as the sole reason to eat an entire loaf of bread while sopping up its deliciousness. And, if like me you still have some broth left after your bread inhalation, save it! I knew it would eventually come in handy after I made those mussels. A day later when I was rummaging through my cupboards for something to eat, I came up with it's perfect use in a pasta dish. And I didn't have to purchase anything in addition to what I already had, though it might have been nice if I had checked my fridge before starting. Some heavy cream would have been a nice touch (but think of those calories I saved!).

Even though I didn't actually try making this pasta with the heavy cream, I am positive that it would be delish. So just throw caution to the wind and add some heavy cream! And don't worry about the Italian cheese-on-seafood-pasta police. I'm pretty sure that since there is no actual seafood protein in this particular pasta, they'll give you a free pass. At least that's my policy...

Pasta With Mussel Infused Tomato Sauce

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 cup mussel broth, including onions (left from steamed mussel recipe)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces capellini

1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and drain the extra bacon fat from the skillet, leaving behind just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

2. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and cook for one minute more. Add the mussel broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Stir in the heavy cream, if using, and cook for one minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the capellini until al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the pan of sauce and toss thoroughly over low heat for about 1 minute, until some of the sauce has been absorbed by the pasta. Serve immediately with Parmesan. Makes 4 servings.

Waffling Around

I don't know about you, but I have multiple email accounts. One is for actual email correspondence. Another is for junk mail and internet shopping. Yet another is for newsletters and updates. (Plus a few more...) I subscribe to a few different recipe/food newsletters, one of which is "The Dish" from Food & Wine. Typically the content is repurposed from the most recent issue, but it might also consist of party ideas, seasonal cooking topics, or holiday meal planning.

One of the most recent emails was titled, "New Ideas for Back to School Basics: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner." Makes sense. It's September after all. But once I looked at the recipes I realized that Food & Wine is on another planet when it comes to back to school basics. One of their back to school breakfast recipes was Classic Belgian Waffles with Belgian Chocolate Fudge Sauce. Umm...who exactly is making waffles for breakfast before school? That don't go straight from freezer to toaster? Back in the day I could barely get out of the house on time after making instant oatmeal. That couple of minutes waiting for the water to heat up in the tea kettle was tenuous. (That's where Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch saved the day.)

 

I HAD to try the F&W waffle recipe just to see for myself if it was possible to make efficiently. I love waffles but it's something I'll see on brunch menus and never order because they seem too decadent, and typically I'll need a nap after. (Apparently not too much for a weekday breakfast I guess!) I strangely do have a waffle maker, though I don't think I've used it in about 5 years.

Here's what I discovered. The waffle recipe is delicious. But I also spent the better part of the morning on it. In between making the batter and waiting for it to activate (like a mini-proof), I managed to also fold laundry, pay bills, watch tennis, and make coffee. So sure, you could make it on a weekday morning if you also need some extra time to finish homework, change sheets, and flat iron your hair. But I would suggest that you wait until you have a leisurely Saturday morning filled with cartoons and mimosas to indulge in this waffle recipe. Unless Alice lives with you. Then make her do it. Every day.

 
























Classic Belgian Waffles

(by Thomas DeGeest for Food & Wine)

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pure maple syrup
Confectioners’ sugar


1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. In a large bowl, stir the flour with the salt. Whisk in the yeast mixture, milk, butter, egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.
 

2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold them into the batter and let stand for 20 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 225°F. Heat and grease a waffle iron. Pour 1 1/4 cups of the batter into the iron and cook until the waffles are golden, 6 minutes. Transfer the waffles to the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter. Drizzle the waffles with maple syrup and dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, and serve. Makes 4 - 6 waffles.

Mussel Milk

So last night I had the distinct pleasure (!) of accompanying my good friend Nora to Kleinfeld's to help her select a non-wedding wedding gown. Our good friend Wess also came along to offer some actual bridal experience. What? Was that a groan? Let me tell you why I was so excited. Some of you may know of my TV obsession, and as such, I have seen my fair share of reality shows, some of which happen to be wedding related. Well, on reality TV there is high drama, people! Brides are crying, mothers are screaming, bridesmaids are fighting...but I saw none of that! Not a single tear or snarky remark. It was sooo disappointing! (From other shoppers, not my cool friends. Obvs!) Is reality TV not actually real? Hmmm.


I guess our first mistake (in fulfilling my fantasy) was arriving late on a Monday night. Our gown consultant let it slip that Saturday afternoons are primetime for (any) high drama. Alas, I had to be contented with my levelheaded friends and their unique sense of humor. Fabulously, Nora scored a sample dress at an amazing price, so we went to celebrate with some mussels at Markt. (For some reason I had mussels on the brain and Markt was a fortunate block away.) We got a table right away with and extra seat for the dress. The host was very accommodating.

Since I still can't seem to get mussels off my mind, I decided to make my own tonight. It is so easy. It's just a matter of coming up with your favorite concoction. Curry? Garlic cream? Hoegaarden? I generally prefer the classic white wine version, so went with that. It's also an excellent base to start with and can be tweaked a hundred different ways. The only problem is that I don't own a Fry Daddy. Remember those? Mussels without fries is a shame. But just make sure that you at least have some good crusty bread on hand to use to sop up the broth, and you might not miss them. Repeat: Might not. Oh, and buy a good dry white wine so that you have wine to cook with and wine to drink. (I suggest a Sauvignon Blanc. I didn't even notice that the wine I bought was called "Frenzy" until I brought it home because I was just looking for the grape variety and the price. But it turned out to be apropos since I was racing against the sunset.)

White Wine Steamed Mussels


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced (or 2 medium shallots)
1 cup dry white wine
2 pounds mussels, washed and scrubbed, beards removed (discard any open or broken shells)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Rustic crusty bread


1. Place a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, and onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the mussels, cover, and cook for 6 - 8 minutes, until the mussels have opened. (Discard any unopened mussels.)


2. Remove the mussels to a serving bowl, leaving the broth in the pot. Add the butter to the broth and stir over low heat to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the broth over the mussels, allowing any sediment to remain in the bottom of the pot. Serve with crusty bread if desired. Serves two.

Yesterday

  


The reality of my day. Between watching tennis and going to see Extract, this was the highlight.

Giant Killers

Happy Labor Day (what's left of it)! I hope you enjoyed a weekend of grillin' and chillin'. It was gorgeous in NYC! Although I didn't make it to a beach or a grill fest, I did have a nice long weekend, including a wedding extravaganza (congrats Liane and Larry!) which left me a little less than energized today. My solution? I spent a few hours couch-side (not court side) watching tennis (yes, the little voices in my head were screaming at me to just go outside already!).

Watching other people exercise almost makes me feel like I did too, but I don't have to get all sweaty and stuff. I love the US Open, and even when I don't have tickets to go, Dick Enberg, Mary Carillo, and John McEnroe provide more than enough entertainment with their color commentary. I almost forget that I'm sitting inside on a beautifully sunny day. Take today for instance. I watched the Oudin/Petrova match and they were loving the "scrappy 17-year old" phenom. Johnny Mac usually comes through with all of the obtuse remarks, but today, Dick Enberg was on fuego!

About Oudin:

"That's the kind of kid you wished lived next door."

"If you were playing tackle football, you'd want Oudin on your team."

 About Petrova:

"She just went into a clubhouse meeting with herself."

But my favorite exchange was between Enberg and Carillo (for some reason John stayed out of it). In repeatedly talking about how many formidable opponents Oudin had encountered and defeated on her way to the quarterfinals, they called her a "Giant Killer" and "Russian Slayer" (referring to the stature of the other girls -- Sharapova is 6'2", Oudin 5'6" -- and obviously their nationality). Um...ok. Then it got even more strange. At a turning point in the match, Enberg said, "The tall Russians have been the menu for Oudin, and she's gobbled them all up so far." To which Mary replied, "Is she full yet?" (What?!?) I guess we won't know until after the quarters, but in the meantime, Oudin can carbo-load with my fresh tomato laden pasta while the late summer tomatoes are still available.

 

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce 
(Adapted from Gourmet)

3 medium tomatoes

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 - 6 ounces capellini

Fresh basil leaves

1. Core two of the tomatoes and roughly chop. Cut the remaining tomato in half crosswise and grate the cut side against the large holes of a box grater over a large bowl. Discard the skin. Toss the tomato pulp with the chopped tomato, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes, until al dente but not soft. (It's ok to slightly undercook the pasta.) Drain thoroughly and return to the pot along with the tomato mixture and toss to coat. Briefly cook over medium heat, for about 1 minute, just until some of the excess tomato juice has been absorbed. Garnish with torn basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 2 appetizer portions or one giant-killer sized entree.

The Big Reveal

I've been meaning to reveal my mystery beverage all summer (well, since I posted about it a month ago), but I couldn't come up with anything clever to call it. And now that summer is almost (un)officially over, the time is now (with or without a witty name)!

I thought at first that I should name it after the fabulous blogger who first introduced me to the inspirational beverage at Emporio. (You can read about it here.) I considered The QueenB, as WendyB, amazing jewelry designer and blogger extraordinaire, often designs with historical queens in mind (here's one of my favorite WendyB pieces), but she actually thought I should name it after myself...along the lines of The Tinagria. Wait. Did I just give it away? Yes...drumroll please...it's sangria! A white version with peaches and nectarines!



Ooooo...Ahhhhh...Was that thud someone fainting with shock and surprise? Oh, nevermind. It's just my annoying upstairs neighbor.



Below is my interpretation of the white sangria at Emporio. I actually have no idea what they put in their sangria, but this is a pretty good version if I do say so myself. I definitely recommend making it the day before you plan to drink it. The flavor is much more pronounced the longer you can allow the fruit to macerate in the wine. However, if you can't wait, or if your fruit is just shy of ripe and not particularly juicy, just add a touch more peach nectar to the mixture. There are only a few more days (weeks?) of fresh peaches, so get cracking! And if you have any clever suggestions for the official drink name, please don't hesitate to let me know!



The QueenB Peachy Picnic Punch Tinagria

1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine (something that you are happy to drink without added fruit)
1/3 cup Triple Sec (or Cointreau)
1/4 - 1/2 cup Peach nectar
2 fresh ripe peaches, pitted and chopped
2 fresh rip nectarines, pitted and chopped

1. Add the wine, Triple Sec, 1/4 cup peach nectar, and the chopped fruit to a large pitcher and stir. Chill, covered, for up to 24 hours. Taste and add more peach nectar if desired. Serve over ice.

*Note: For a lighter, spritzier sangria, top with club soda and stir.

The Wedge

No. Not the wedgie. The Wedge. Like, The Gap. Except iceberg lettuce with blue cheese dressing and bacon, not khakis. A nutritional zero but a low carb devotee's dream. What a great salad!

No need to wait until the next trip to the local steakhouse for your next wedge of goodness. Just please make your own blue cheese dressing. It only takes a few minutes and will make a huge difference. That, and cooking plenty of extra bacon to snack on before sacrificing it to your salad.



The Wedge With Bacon aka The Snowplow Salad
(from The Ski House Cookbook)

For the dressing:
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1-2 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons white or red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
1 head of Iceberg lettuce, outer leaves and core removed
4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium bowl whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of the milk, vinegar, and garlic powder to thoroughly combine. Stir in the blue cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If you prefer a thinner dressing, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk and stir.) Set aside.

2. Slice the lettuce head into quarters. Serve the wedges cold with the blue cheese dressing, crumbled bacon, and freshly ground black pepper. Makes about 2 cups dressing and 4 appetizer wedge salads.

*Note: The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.