Portuguese Baked Clams →

Anyone who has spent any time at the seashore in New England, New York, or New Jersey is probably familiar with some version of baked clams, called “stuffies” in Rhode Island, stuffed clams, or the fancier version “Clams Casino”. Depending on where you live in the Northeast, baked, stuffed clams are commonly flavored with Italian seasonings, but the Portuguese fishing communities also have their own take on baked clams. This version pays tribute to the rich culinary tradition of Portuguese fishing communities in the northeast United States. Bom proveito!  

Portuguese Baked Stuffed Clams (revised 1/2025)
Ingredients

• 2 dozen little necks (about 2-3 cups of finely chopped clams) See *Note.

• 1 cup bottled clam broth + 1 cup white wine

• 2 ounces of linguiça sausage

• 2 cloves of garlic minced

• 1 small onion finely chopped

• 1 stick of celery finely chopped

• 1 Bay leaf

• ½ - ¾ cup of fresh breadcrumbs (I used fresh sourdough breadcrumbs; fresh breadcrumbs produce a fluffier final product, but you can sub Panko for an acceptable result. If you use very fine breadcrumbs, the stuffing will be too doughy and not fluffy.)

• 1 jalapeño seeded and finely minced (or ½ each of jalapeño and long red hot peppers)

• A handful of cilantro, thick stems removed, chopped

• ¼ teaspoon white pepper

• Optional: 2 teaspoons of Portuguese Red Pepper Paste

 Preparation

1. Steam the clams in a covered pot of water with some white wine, garlic, and Bay leaf. After 3-4 minutes check the clams and remove each clam as it opens reserving them in a medium bowl until they are cool enough to handle.

2. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking broth.

3. Once the clams are cool enough to handle, separate the shells and remove the clams over the pot of broth to catch any extra clam juice. Keep half of each shell without the adductor muscle attached and place them on a cookie sheet. Reserve the clams in a bowl. (See *Note below)

4. Finely chop the onion, celery, and jalapeño; add the white pepper (and red pepper paste if using) and sauté over medium heat until tender.

5. While the vegetables sauté, chop the linguiça into ½ inch cubes and using a food processor, process until the linguiça is finely chopped; add to the sauté and cook, stirring until the fat renders.

6. Add the chopped clams and cilantro and stir into the onion/celery/ linguica sauté.

7. Add the breadcrumbs and mix; drizzle with the reserved broth and continue to stir until well mixed and heated through.

8. Add a spoonful of the mixture to each clam shell.

9. Cover with foil and cook in a 350 F. oven for 15 minutes; remove the foil and continue to bake for about 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs begin to brown.

(Optional: preheat your grill to 350 F. Place the clams on a flat grill pan on the grill covered with tin foil for 15 minutes; remove the foil and continue to bake for another 5 minutes until the breadcrumbs begin to brown.) 

*Note: If using already shucked fresh chopped clams or canned clams, you will need to have previously saved clam shells, or small shallow ramekins. Skip steps 1-3. (24 medium clams equals about 2-3 cups of chopped clams.) In a small saucepan, lightly sauté a clove of garlic in a little olive oil until just fragrant (not brown). Add ½ cup clam juice + ½  cup white wine and a Bay leaf and reduce over med-high heat to ½ cup of liquid. Add the chopped clams to the hot broth and simmer for a minute or two. Strain the liquid into a bowl to reserve; save the clams in a separate bowl.

Wine pairing: white wine like a Chablis, Albariño, Vermentino, Viognier, Soave 

Cured Salmon Gravlax →

If you love salmon here’s a recipe for an elegant first course or to serve as hors d’oeuvre. Originally a traditional Nordic dish, gravad lax, referred to fish that had been buried in the ground to cure. Over time the method was refined from the funky fermented gravad lax to a process using salt, sugar, fresh herbs, and a neutral spirit like Vodka to season and cure the fish producing the delicately flavored salmon that is served at a premium price in fine restaurants across Europe today. The method of making today’s gravlax is surprisingly easy; it just requires a bit of patience. As they say “patience is a virtue” and you will be rewarded. Cheers! Skål!

Cured Salmon Gravlax with Fennel-Orange Crema
Yield: 2 servings as a main course, 8 to 10 as an hors d’oeuvre

For the Gravlax:

• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest (can substitute lemon zest)
• 1 one-pound, skin-on salmon fillet
• ½ cup chopped fennel fronds, more for serving (can substitute dill)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 4 teaspoons Vodka or another neutral spirit (Gin, Aquavit, etc.)

For the Fennel-Orange Crema:

• ½ cup crème fraiche or sour cream

• ½ garlic clove (finely minced or grated and mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt)

• 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (start with 1 teaspoon, mix, taste, adjust to taste)

• Pinch of salt (to taste)

• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

• 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds, more for garnish

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

• ¾ teaspoon finely grated orange zest

• ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, more for serving

• Slices of cocktail pumpernickel, for serving

• Fresh lemon juice, for serving

Preparation:

1. To make the cured salmon: using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, lightly crush the peppercorns. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the sugar, salt, and orange zest. Rub mixture over salmon flesh; press the fennel fronds and tarragon all over flesh and sprinkle with the spirit. Put the seasoned salmon in a zip-lock plastic bag with the air squeezed out, or wrap well with plastic wrap and place in a skillet or on a sheet pan. Place a plate or other skillet atop the salmon packet and weight-down with something like a 48 ounce can of tomatoes or heavy skillet. Refrigerate for 1 to 3 days. Turn the fish after 12 hours and taste after 24 hours. A moderate cure is achieved after about 36 hours..

2. To make the fennel-orange crema: using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, or a microplane mash the garlic with a pinch of salt until it forms a paste. Transfer to a bowl and add the crème fraiche or sour cream, 1 tablespoon of fennel fronds, tarragon, orange zest, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir to combine.

3. To serve: wipe off most of the marinade from the salmon and slice off the skin. Thinly slice the fish across the grain at an acute angle. Spread the fennel-orange crema mixture on slices of pumpernickel, pile the sliced salmon on the pumpernickel, and sprinkle with salt, more black pepper, and a little lemon juice. Top with fennel fronds and diced Pickled Avocado.

Aadapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014171-small-batch-gravlax-with-fennel-orange-butter
https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/article/deli-salmon-explained

Wild Mushroom Paté on Crostini with Gremolata Butter →

This simple wild mushroom paté is filled with umami-richness enhanced with garlic, fresh herbs, brandy, and lemon zest. Add the tangy, garlicky, crunchy crostini and you have a sure-to-please starter or appetizer for your vegetarian and omnivore friends. After you try the gremolata butter on crostini or toast, you may decide to keep a small tub in your fridge to have on hand for other dishes.

Wild Mushroom Paté on Crostini with Gremolata Butter

Serves 4-6
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 7 tablespoons butter separated (3+4)

• 3 garlic cloves: 2 finely minced + 1 smashed

• 1 small red chili pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped

• about 2 cups mixed mushrooms, chopped (cremini, oyster, and shitake work well)

• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or other fresh herb of choice)

• 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, or thyme leaves (or combination)

• 1-2 tablespoons cognac or brandy or Marsala

• 1-2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)

• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• diced pickled apples, pears, or beets, or cornichons for garnish (optional but recommended)

• 8 slices of baguette less than a ½ inch thick

Make the Gremolata Butter

1. In a small saucepan or your microwave, melt 4 tablespoons (½ stick) of butter,

2. Mix in the smashed (or finely minced) garlic, lemon zest, and finely chopped parsley and simmer over low heat for 1 minute.

3. Pour the mixture into a small bowl and set aside.

Cook the Mushrooms

1. Heat the olive oil and 3 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, fry the minced garlic and chili pepper for one minute over medium heat, stirring so you don’t burn the garlic!; then add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms have released their water and begin to brown.

2. Add the brandy and cook until the brandy has almost evaporated.

3. Stir in the parsley, thyme (or marjoram), and Parmesan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Optional: for a finer consistency, process the finished cooked mixture in a food processor to your desired texture.

Make the Gremolata Crostini

1. Using a sheet pan, toast the slices of bread on one side under the broiler until light brown (taking care not to burn)

2. Turn the slices over and spread about ½ teaspoon of the Gremolata Butter on each slice.

3. Return the sheet pan with crostini slices to the broiler briefly until golden brown.

4. Spoon over the mushrooms with optional garnish and serve.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail →

When I lived in Mexico, I fell in love with the various regional versions of shrimp cocktails, especially from the Yucatán and Oaxaca in the south. So much so that I still prefer homemade “Mexican style” cocktail sauce to the bottled stuff available at your local market. If you would like to try an alternative to the typical ketchuppy shrimp cocktail served here in the States, give this version a try. I simplified the original recipe from the New York Times to make it more accessible without sacrificing the wonderful tangy complexity of the sauce. Buen apetito!

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Serves 6 as a starter, or 4 as a light meal with a green salad.

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons green olives, chopped

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 1/4 cup chili sauce

• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano (or ¾ teaspoon dried)

• 2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (more if you want more heat)

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• 1/2 cup Clamato juice (or ¼ cup clam juice; ¼ cup bottled tomato juice)

• ½ an eight-inch Anaheim chile roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped; half reserved (see *Note)

Ingredients for the pico de gallo:

• 1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced

• 1/2 cup white onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

• 2 teaspoons minced jalapeño

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for the seafood:

• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

• 1/2 reserved Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced

• 1 pound large shrimp (16-20 count) peeled, deveined, and boiled for two minutes, drained and plunged into cold water; 3 per person as an appetizer, or 5 for a light meal. Substitute medium shrimp if you prefer.

Preparation:
1. Purée the sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl.
2. Add the pico de gallo ingredients to the sauce.
3. Delicately fold in the avocado and shrimp. Spoon into ice cream-sundae or martini glasses and serve with warm tortilla chips.
4. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

*Note: place the chile under the broiler until charred (2-3 minutes per side). Put the chile on a plate and cover with another plate. Wait 5 minutes, uncover and the skin should peel off easily. Slice the chile lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.

*Note: for a great light summer meal, serve with a mixed green salad with a bit of crumbled goat cheese or Mexican cotija dressed with a light vinaigrette alongside the cocktail.

Wine pair: my first choices would be a Rosé, Chablis, or a Chardonnay/Viognier blend that would stand up to and complement the complex acid and spice in the cocktail. Stay away from heavy oaky Chardonnays or overly minerally whites.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/campechana-extra-mexican-seafood-cocktail
Adapted from Levi Goode at Goode Company Seafood in Houston.