Jul20

Clams with Bacon, Corn, and Cherry Tomatoes

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This is a delicious and quick summer stew.  It only takes 20-30 minutes to make, so it won’t heat up your kitchen.

Clams with Bacon, Corn, and Cherry Tomatoes

2 lbs clams (Littleneck, Venus, or any other hard-shelled clam), rinsed and scrubbed if necessary
1 T olive oil
4 slices of bacon, diced
1 shallot, sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
black pepper
kosher salt
1 c dry white wine
4-6 basil leaves, finely chopped
baguette, for serving

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small dutch oven. Add the bacon and fry until crisp. Add the shallots and corn, and saute for 3-5 minutes, seasoning with a tiny bit of salt (the bacon is already salty), pepper, and smoked paprika. Add the wine and tomatoes.

When the wine is boiling, add the clams, then cover and steam for five minutes. Once all of the clams have opened, the dish is done. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with crusty bread.

Jul18

Kale Salad with Walnuts and Cranberries

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Last night we had grilled pork chops (brined first, of course!) with mashed potatoes. Kale salad was the perfect vegetable side. Kale is a tough enough green to stand up to a heavier entrée and side, but the salad felt summery.

Kale Salad with Walnuts and Cranberries

3 leaves of kale, stems removed and sliced finely
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
handful of walnuts
handful of dried cranberries
black pepper
kosher salt

Toss the kale with the lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then add the walnuts and cranberries.

Jul16

Taco Thursday!

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Paco and I went to Taco Tuesday two weeks ago, which inspired an at-home taco night. We tried out a new Mexican market, and bought some marinated carne asada and tiny tortillas for street taco style tacos.

AND–as a huge bonus, they sell kastakan there! Kastakan is a cross between chicharrones and carnitas — fried pork skin with some meat attached. I read about it before we went on our honeymoon to Playa del Carmen, and I forced Paco to walk across town in 100+ degree weather to get these tacos. 100% worth it. Here’s me in Playa del Carmen with the aforementioned tacos.  Note the large chicharrones served on the side in lieu of chips.

The kastakan that we bought here was not as delicious as the one in Playa, but it was a nice change from carne asada. This is how it looks at the store. Just heat it up and cut it into chunks.

We made a taco bar with carne asada, kastakan, homemade guacamole, tomatillo salsa, roasted tomato salsa, cilantro, red onion, lime, and grilled Mexican scallions.

I love the tiny tortillas!