NE Clam Chowder nothing to clam up about

Another wonderful day here in NYC. After a warm spell this past week it finally dropped a bit into the 70's with lowered humidity. Today's itinerary took me into the 9th avenue street fair. It was awesome! In about 2 hours I went to Mexico with Chicken Tacos, America's south with fried chicken and soft shelled crabs, the Caribbean with Currey Goat, maduros and Rice with Pigeon peas, Thailand with Pad Thai and Thai ice coffee, Coney Island with a corn dog, and France with a banana nutella crepe. My final destination home to cook some New England clam chowder after picking up some fresh sourdough from Amys' bread on 9th Avenue.

Software:
large can of clams
1/2 stick of butter
4 strips of bacon diced
1 small onion diced
3 celery stalks diced
3 medium potatoes diced and skinned
2 garlic gloves minced fine.
1 sprig of fresh Thyme
1 quart of Half and Half
1 can of corn
SnP

Hardware:
Cutting Board
Chef's knife
Peeler
Dutch oven or pot of you choice

Start by heating up the bacon on a medium heat until the fat has rendered off approximately 15 minutes.

Scoop out the bacon and leave the fat.

 Add the butter and let it melt.

 Add the onions, garlic and some SnP. After 5 minutes add the potatoes and Celery. Sautee for about 5 more minutes and add the Thyme, corn, clams with juice. SnP to taste and cook it down uncovered until the potatoes are tender approximately 20 minutes.

Once all the veggies are soft pour in the half and half and warm it up for 10 more minutes. Ladle yourself a bowl, sprinkle with the crispy bacon and tear off a piece of sourdough. Enjoy as a stick to your gut meal.

Dont be Clammy

Hey everybody, it's a beautiful day in NYC and as a reward for putting in a ton of hours lately at work me and my team we were rewarded with leaving from work a little early today. Finally! I can cook something for dinner. Well tonight I wanted something that reminds me of warmer weather and seafood usually does the trick. It also happens to be good friday tomorrow so my wife advised me that good Catholics don't eat meat this week. Well I'll be damn. Guess it worked out for both of us.

Here's what you'll need for "Changer Clammer Fettuccine."

Software:

2 Doz little neck or smaller clams

4 Tablespoons of good Olive oil Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 25.5-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)

4-6 Cloves of Garlic as you like it

2 tablespoons of Sherry or white wine good enough to drink

Shaved Parm or Pecorino

1 tablespoon of Dried oregano or parsley (if you like it milder stick to parsley)

SnP

Pasta Box or Fresh even better.

 

Hardware:

 Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3-1/2-Quart Buffet Casserole, Dune

Oxo Good Grips 12-Inch Stainless-Steel Locking Tongs

Pot of boiling water All-Clad Stainless 6-Quart Saute Pot with Lid

Microplane Grater/Zester(beat mincing garlic)

KitchenAid KPRA Pasta Roller Attachment for Stand Mixers Pasta rollers if youre making it fresh.

 

Start by heat a sautee pan low with the microplaned garlic. It should bubble a bit but not snap crack nor pop. You want to infuse the oil think of it as if your poaching the garlic in oil. 

Now start a pot of boiling water for the pasta of preference. Heavily oil and salt the water like the ocean in a valdez oil slick. The oil should start to become fragrant in about 5-8 minutes. Toss in the dried herbs and poach it some more for about 2-3 minutes. Nows a good time to put in the sherry or cooking wine. It will reallly open up the bouquet of herbs. Continue to cook off the alcohol for another 2 minutes.

Toss your pasta into the boiling water and cook it to just under al dente. Take the pasta out with tongs and toss it into your garlicky oil skillet and about 1/4 cup of the starchy water.

Turn up the heat and toss the clams in there and cover. Wait about 6 minutes open the lid to see the clams open up. Toss the sealed ones and toss the pasta with SnP and shaved Pecorino or parm. Serve it up and you wont have any vampire attacks tonight. Enjoy.