Cheers,
Laura
Tomato Mozzarella Salad
Heirloom Tomatoes- For an appetizer I would say one tomato serves 2 people. Try different types of heirlooms. Whatever you do don’t go buying no cellophane wrapped tomatoes from the grocery store. Try to buy fresh heirlooms when in season. They are diverse in flavors and offer an abundance of rich, savory, and fresh bites. My favorites: Golden Jubilee, Kellogg’s, and Brandywines. Option 2: use vine tomatoes.
Mozzarella Cheese- Buy Local. You don’t have to get mozzarella from Italy in order for it to taste great.
1/8 cup of minced basil- 1/8 cup per tomato. Buy a plant, care for it throughout the season, and you will have lots of fresh basil...and save some $$!
¼ cup of diced Bermuda Onion - per tomato
1 teaspoons of Olive Oil- Use one teaspoon for every tomato. Don’t just buy any olive oil. Store brand, blue light special is not acceptable. Buy some with flavor. Ask a salesperson to help you pick one out if you don’t know what you are doing. You don’t need to spend a lot of money. If you are in the Scituate area go to Harbor Liquors (yes they sell olive oil and I believe balsamic as well) or the Roman Table. I personally like DaVero olive oil.
http://www.theromantable.com/
1 /2 teaspoon of Balsamic Vinaigrette- ½ teaspoon per tomato. Use something decent. If it came in a packet for that salad you bought at the rest area on your way home from a weekend in Maine..... Think again and throw that stuff the heck out!
Salt- sea salt or Himalayan salt if possible
Slice tomatoes about 1.2 centimeters thick
Slice mozzarella cheese so it is about 2mm thick
In a measuring cup mix olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.
Add a dash of salt.
Whisk
Set aside
Lay out tomatoes
Top tomatoes with mozzarella
Sprinkle with onion and basil
DRIZZLE- yes drizzle LIGHTLY the mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, and salt. This is meant to be a light dressing. Under no circumstances should the tomatoes be saturated in the concoction you just put together.
Soft Shell Crab
2 Soft Shell Crabs per person
Olive Oil
Old Bay
Fresh Lemon
Cisco Grey Lady or Summer Lager
Olive Oil
Old Bay
Fresh Lemon
Cisco Grey Lady or Summer Lager
When you buy them ask the clerk to clean them before you take them home. This will save you a lot of trouble.
Pan fry in olive oil- or Grill: 3 minutes per side either way, splash of Cisco Summer Lager or Grey Lady, save the rest to drink with your meal.
Plate and sprinkle with some Old Bay and squeeze and drizzle with some fresh lemon.
Grey Lady Cisco Beer: dry, spicy, hints of tropical fruits
Cisco Summer Lager- light, refreshing, hints of citrus overtones
Cisco Summer Lager- light, refreshing, hints of citrus overtones
Soft Shell Crab links:
http://articles.boston.com/2011-06-08/ae/29634569_1_soft-shell-crabs-cooking-soft-shells-hard-shells
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft-shell_crab
Summer BLT
Niman Ranch Bacon or some other humane and all-natural bacon: http://www.nimanranch.com/Index.aspx
Boston Lettuce
Fresh Tomatoes (Again no cellophane wrapped not so fresh tomatoes). Go to the Farmer’s Market, grow your own, or buy fresh.
Mayonnaise- I wish I could say I have made by own. But I haven’t. If you have the time go for it. If not buy whatever type you like.
Rosemary Olive Oil Bread- Fresh Bread is the key to making this summer sandwich the fabulous sandwich it is. My favorite it a Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or a Sourdough as a backup plan.
Prepare bacon in advance. Either cook or grill almost to the point of being burnt…or burn. I find grilling bacon to be a much easier clean up. I personally don’t care for grease being sprayed around my kitchen. Once the bacon cools chop into small pieces that are bite sized.
Slice your bread and toast!
Spread Mayonnaise, tomatoes and bacon.
Yum!
Veggie Roll-Up
Syrian Bread
Lettuce, cucumbers, red onion, sprouts, and green peppers
Brie cheese- slice into thin long slices
Jalapeno flavored Hummus if you like a little kick or any other type of flavored hummus that satisfies your pallet.
This place out of Hull makes the best: http://www.todinefor.net/
This place out of Hull makes the best: http://www.todinefor.net/
Separate the Syrian bread into 2 halves.
Use the halve to make your roll-up
Spread ingredients onto wrap
Roll Up and enjoy
Wrap in foil and cut in half diagonally so all the contents don’t poor out of the sides.
Clams Casino
2-½ inch little neck clams (make as many as you want). Freeze some for later!
Breadcrumbs
Old Bay
All natural humane bacon
Hot sauce
Fresh Lemon
A clam shucker: which looks like this
One of my favorite hobbies is to go clamming. After you have your clams whether you gather them on your own or buy them in the store it is time to shuck. Be careful. If you don’t know what you are doing watch a video or learn from a friend so you don’t have cut up hands.
1. Shuck clams: Watch this video for an example-
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-shuck-little-neck-clams-205681/
Place clam back in the deeper of the two shells, discard unused shell
3. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs
4. Sprinkle with Old Bay
5. Dash of hot sauce on each clam
6. Place bacon strip about ½ inch on each clam
7. Arrange on cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Once the bacon is cooked you will know they are done cooking.
8. Squirt some lemon over the clams and serve!
