Tag Archives: Recipes

Stuffed Clams or Mussels

Stuffed mussels or clams, open-faced or absorbed in tomato sauce makes for great finger foods.

A favorite seafood lovers dish.  You will serve this as an appetizer or part of the main course
using the sauce over fettucine or linguine pasta.  Have more fun with this dish by preparing it with a friend, child or spouse.

2 pounds (1 kilo) Mussels or Clams (bathe in a bowl of cold water for 1-2 hours in order for sand to be expelled from inside shells.)
1/2 cup water
Stuffing. Needed supply: 4 inch (10 cm) cut string for cooking string (cotton butchers twine). Will need about 20 pre-cut strings.
2 1/2 cups cubed bread (for stuffing)
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 tsp salt

Sauce
1 medium onion diced
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 28 ounces cans of unseasoned tomato sauce

Directions for expelling sand from shellfish.

Pre-soak clams or mussels for 2 hours in cold water so that they expel the sand from their shells.

Directions for making stuffed shellfish
Scrub the shells with a kitchen brush or metal scrubber (no soaps or detergent). It’s okay for some algae to still be attached to the shell.
Over medium heat, place a large pan and add 1/2 cup water with all the cleaned mussels or clams, cover pan and allow shells to open. About 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl add bread crumbs, egg, salt, garlic and parsley. Using a fork or your hands mix all ingredients together.

Turn off heat on the stove and reserve water in the pan by taking the opened mussels or clams one at a time from the pan. If some have not opened leave them in pan and cover with lid. They will continue to open.
Place one tablespoon of stuffing into each mussel or clam. With one hand close shell with seafood and stuffing inside. While with the other hand the string is wrapped two times around the closed shell and knotted, or bow-tied.

In a large pan over medium heat, add onion and oil allow to saute for 4 minutes.
Slowly pass about 3/4 of the reserved water from the musssels into a bowl.  Stop the filtering process as any debris (sand) starts to float toward the sieve.  The debris will naturally be the last to float to the top. Discard the last bit of water.  Add the 3/4 filtered, reserved mussel/clam water to the pan with the sauteed onions and mussles.
Add all of the stuffed and tied clams or mussels with tomato sauce. Add 1/2 tsp salt to taste and allow to simmer in sauce for 20 minutes. Mussels will be served in a bowl, use fingers or fork and knife to remove string. The sauce may be added to cooked linguine or fettucine pasta. Top off with chopped parsley for presentation!

Creamy Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Soup

Serves 4. Makes a great appetizer!
Preparation time 15 minutes.  Cooking time 30 minutes.

Zucchini and squash may be used together for a tastier soup!

  • 4 medium size potatoes washed, peeled and quartered
  • 2 garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 pat of butter
  • 2 onions peeled and thinly sliced (May substitute with leeks. Thinly slice and soak in water to remove dirt.)
  • 6 zucchini sliced into thin circles (peeled optional)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt (to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Garnish with parsley, cilantro, or pesto
DIRECTIONS
  1. Wash, peel and quarter potatoes. In a medium size pan add 5 cups of water to potatoes, cover, allow to boil over medium heat for 20 minutes. Potato should permit a fork to pierce it with just a slight  resistance.
  2. Meanwhile, over medium heat place a large sauce pan and add olive oil, butter, garlic, onion (or leeks). Allow to saute for 3 minutes.

    saute garlic, onion in oil then add sliced zucchini

  3. Add zucchini slices, and sautee` for another 5 minutes.
  4. Turn off burner, remove potatoes from heat. Carefully drain water into sink. Place potatoes into blender.
  5. Remove zucchini and onions from heat and turn off stove top.
  6. Place zucchini and leek (or onion) into a food processor. Cover food processor and blend vegetables for about 30 seconds.
  7. Turn on stove to medium heat, place large sauce pan and return blended vegetables to sauce pan.
  8. Add milk and water.
  9. Season with salt and pepper.
  10. Stir in parmesan cheese
  11. Allow to warm on stove top on medium heat for 10 minutes.
  12. Place into individual soup bowls. Garnish with drizzled olive oil, chopped cilantro / parsley or a dab of pesto!

Calzone

Great for appetizers, lunches, picnics!!!
Handmade dough that can be baked or fried is listed at the half way point of the recipe. For baking only a store bought dough is an easy way to make Calzone without investing into the dough making, by simply substituting it with Pasta Sfoglia (2 Pastry Sheets) purchased from your local grocery store in the freezer or refrigerator departments.  Please scroll to “Home Made Dough” to follow original recipe.

Calzone
Serves 4-6
Preparation time 8 minutes, Baking time 15 minutes
Preheat oven to 400 F or 180 C.

On a clean baking sheet unroll first pastry sheet (may throw out parchment paper or place it on baking sheet with pastry sheet on top).  Add suggested fillings. Close sides of dough and place in oven for 20 minutes.

HOME MADE DOUGH: Follow this recipe for ultimate Calzone Dough La Focaccia Italiana

Pinch sides of dough to close the calzone. Place in oven to bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

FOR DEEP FRIED PANZEROTTI:  If deep frying, to make the Panzerotti, pour the contents of an entire bottle of Canola Oil into a deep pan and heat up on medium heat for 6 minutes. Carefully add the calzone/panzerotto to the oil, with a metal slotted spoon turn in oil for 3 minutes. When golden remove and place onto a paper towel to remove the oil, then onto a baking sheet and into a warmed oven (350 F) to keep them warm while making the other Panzerotti.

Suggested Fillings for calzone.

Ricotta and Spinach
250 g Ricotta
20 leaves spinach (washed and patted dry)
1 Egg slightly beaten
Combine all ingredients. With a spatula layer pastry sheet with filling. Unroll second pastry sheet and lay on top of ricotta filling.

Leeks and Dried Cranberries
4 Leeks thinly sliced and soaked in water. Carefully remove leek slices by hand from the water so that the dirt will collect in the bottom of the bowl.
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup milk
250 g mozzarella diced
4 Tbsp  choose any or all dried cranberries, raisins, dried apricots, or prunes, olives. (slice larger pieces)

After leaks have been washed, place into a large pan on medium heat and allow to with olive oil for 5 minutes then add milk and salt. Cook on stove top for about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour leeks into a colander to drain fluid. Return leeks to pan and add mozzarella, dried cranberries salt and pepper to taste.

Roll out dough about 1/2 cm thinkness.

Roll out first “Pastry Sheet” and place on to a baking sheet, layer with leek filling, then place second pastry sheet on top. Pinch the sides of the pastry  sheets together to close. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tuna and Sundried Tomato’s
120 g Tuna from cans
2 eggs
1/4 onion peeled and diced
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes diced
1/4 cup walnuts
100 g mozzarella diced

Place pastry sheet on to a clean baking sheet. Combine all ingredients. Layer filling on to a pastry sheet. Place second pastry sheet on layered filling and pinch pastry sheet edges together to close. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Filling For Panzerotti

Combine sliced San Marzano (Whole Peeled) Tomatoes with Mozzarella, Oregano and place into center of dough, (juice from the tomatoes that come out of the side of the closed dough will result in hot oil splatter, be careful not to put an abundance!)  Carefully, close and place into hot oil.

Brown 3/4 cup sausage and 3/4 cup hamburger. Drain fat and cool for 10 minutes. Combine browned meat with 1 minced garlic and mozzarella. Place into center of dough, close well and add to hot oil.

Fresh Veggie Salad

Tantalizing Vegetable Salad
Serves 4-6
Preparation time 10 minutes

1/4 onion peeled and diced
1 tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed is good too!), or White Wine, or Vinegar
1 spear of Broccoli
1 Pepper (yellow)
1 Carrot sliced (lengthwise or circular)
1 Celery stalk
5 Cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp Pinenuts (optional)
Dressing
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice, or white wine, or vinegar

In large bowl, soak diced onion in lemon juice (method of cooking to neutralize acidity from onion) and set aside, allow to marinade 10-15 minutes.
Thinly slice all vegetables and then add to bowl with marinading onion. Add to same bowl all ingredients for dressing and toss salad to combine flavors. May serve immediately, or prepare the night before.

Italian Strawberries and Cream

Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Cream.
Strawberries are combined with tangy and sweet balsamic vinegar and creamy ricotta in this quick and simple dessert.

INGREDIENTS
1 c ricotta cheese (drained of liquid)
1 T honey 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
3 T Balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T brown sugar 16 oz strawberries, (leaves and stems removed) and quartered
1 T fresh basil, cut into fine ribbons

DIRECTIONS
Open container of ricotta cheese, empty ricotta into colander (sat onto a plate for liquid to collect) by turning container upside down and and allow ricotta to gently slide onto colander so that drains of all liquid (about 15 minutes then discard liquid).
Spoon 1 cup of cheese into a mixing bowl of a food processor. Add honey and vanilla. Process for 1 minute until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolved. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, heat for 3 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl combine the strawberries and basil with vinegar mixture. Divide equally among 4 glasses. Top with ricotta cream. Serve chilled.

Number of Servings: 4