Pasta Alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams)

Pasta Alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams)

Spaghetti and clams - pasta con vongole

Traditional “Pasta Alle Vongole”, spaghetti with clams, is almost impossible to make here is the US, as “vongole” (the small, Mediterranean Wedge Shell, also known as the Tellina or “bean clam”) are hard to come by in Boulder, CO. So, in this dish, I used little neck clams, which are slightly larger and have a thicker shell. My mother-in-law adds ginger to this dish, which makes it a little different than the traditional version. The following recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound spaghetti 
  • 40 littleneck clams in the shell (scrubbed)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp pureed ginger
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, soak clams in cold water and make sure they are scrubbed clean.
  2. Add spaghetti to boiling water, and cook until slightly underdone; pasta will finish cooking in sauce. Meanwhile, place a large saucepan over medium-low heat, and add olive oil, garlic and ginger. Sauté gently, reducing heat if necessary so garlic does not brown.
  3. Add wine and clams, and cover. Clams should open in about 2 minutes. (If pasta is ready first, drain it and toss with a small amount of olive oil.) Add hot drained pasta, cover, and shake pot gently. Allow to simmer for another 1 or 2 minutes until it is done to taste.
  4. Discard any clams that have not opened. Add half the parsley, and shake pan to distribute evenly. Transfer to bowls, and sprinkle with remaining parsley.
  5. Other versions add peperoncino flakes (1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes for a little kick). Serves 4
Classic Italian Risotto

Classic Italian Risotto

Classic Italian Risotto

Okay, since I’m mostly Swedish, I cannot claim to have a perfect Italian Risotto, but my psuedo-Italian husband can! He definitely “thinks” he’s Italian, especially since he spent a number of year in Italy. Being green-eyed and blond-haired, the Italians always questioned his origin… it’s actually Michigan! Nevertheless, after many years, I can honestly say he has mastered the classic Italian risotto. And according to my children, I am incapable of making his perfected recipe. I actually don’t mind handing over the kitchen to him once in a while, so HE can “slave over the hot stove”.

The key to an honest Risotto, is definitely the broth, (my recipe can be found here). You also need to make sure you use Arborio rice. It is an Italian short-grain rice, named after the town of Arborio, in the Po Valley, which is situated in the main growing region. When cooked, the rounded grains are firm, creamy, and chewy if cooked just right. The key is cooking then stirring, cooking then stirring, a labor of love for sure.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups finely chopped onions
  • 2 cups Arborio rice
  • 2 cups of dry white wine
  • 5 cups of homemade broth
  • pinch of saffron strands
  • 2 cups of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Warm the broth in a pot on low heat, making sure it does not boil. In a large sauce pan on medium heat, add oil, butter then onions and sauté for several minutes until they become translucent. Add in the Aborio rice and stir to coat.  Now here comes the hard part, you are going to add in the liquid 1 cup at a time and stir to cook. Start with the wine, as you want this to cook down over time, then alternate with the broth. You’re going to keep adding in the liquid one cup at a time for at least 20 minutes, maybe more. The point is to add the liquid in small doses, and stir it as it absorbs. When the rice starts to get a little puffy you want add in the strands of saffron. Stir for a couple of minutes, and then start tasting it. You want the rice to be firm, but not hard in the center. Once you get the right consistency, get your warm plates and ladle ready, add in the parmesan cheese and stir. You might need to add a little salt at the end, but remember the parmesan cheese is quite salty. Now you ladle one large scoop onto each warm plate, and jiggle it around so flatten it out. Remember this is really rich, so please don’t make the portions too big. Think Italian size… not American portion. Sprinkle a little parmesan on top… Mangiare subito!

Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken

orange-chicken

My husband has always loved a tangy Chinese-American Orange Chicken. I found some great recipes online, and made some slight modifications. I’m mainly adding this one to the blog, so I have quick access to it, but beware, it does take a few steps so it might not be for everyone.  Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • About 2 cups canola oil for frying

For the orange sauce:

  • 2-3 oranges
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoon canola oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger (from 1-inch piece)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like it spicy)
  • 2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 2 teaspoon rice vinegar (not seasoned) or cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 scallion/green onions (thinly sliced for garnish)
  • Cooked rice for serving

PREPARATION

Prep the chicken:

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the wine and soy sauce together. Toss the chicken pieces with the sauce and let stand while you make the sauce.

Make the orange sauce:

  • Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 1 orange and finely chop it.
  • Squeeze 2 oranges to make at least 1 cup of juice (use additional orange if necessary). In a small bowl, whisk together the juice and 2 teaspoons cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved.
  • In a 10-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat, add the garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper, and orange zest and stir-fry until golden, about 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce, wine, vinegar, and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 seconds. Stir the orange juice–cornstarch mixture then add it to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside while you fry the chicken.

Fry the chicken:

  • Once the chicken is fried, place the skillet of reserved orange sauce over moderately low heat and bring it to a simmer, stirring and thinning the sauce with a little water if necessary. Add the chicken, and stir until thoroughly coated in sauce.
  • In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil until a thermometer registers 365°F. Or you can use a deep fryer if you have one, which is easier to program the temperature. Meanwhile, coat half of the chicken, a couple pieces at a time, in cornstarch, making sure they are well coated and gently knocking off any excess, then transfer to a plate. Carefully add the coated chicken to the hot oil, making sure to space the pieces apart from each other, otherwise they clump together. Fry the chicken, turning it once or twice, until deep golden, about 5 minutes. While frying, adjust the heat as necessary to keep the oil at 365°F. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Continue to coat and fry the remaining chicken in the same manner, returning the oil to 365°F between batches.
  • Once the chicken is fried, place the skillet of reserved orange sauce over moderately low heat and bring it to a simmer, stirring and thinning the sauce with a little orange juice if necessary. Add the chicken, and toss until thoroughly coated in sauce.

To serve:

  • Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with the scallions. Serve immediately with rice.

Another photo: (added some sesame seeds to the recipe)

orange-chicken-detail

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