This recipe is not only simple but is absolutely delicious! These clams are steamed open with wine and braise in their own juices making them perfect on their own with some crusty Italian bread or pour over pasta like linguine.

Serves 4

 Ingredients

• 50 small clams in shell, scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

 Directions

Wash clams to remove any dirt or sand.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; saute for 1 minute, or until tender. Pour in the white wine. Boil until wine has reduced to half its original volume.

Add clams, cover, and steam till clams start to open. Add butter, cover, and cook till most or all of the clams open. Discard any that do not open. Transfer clams and juice to 2 large bowls. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.

Photo and recipe from www.AllRecipes.com

Grilling season is finally here and with Memorial Day just around the corner, these Red Wine Burgers will be a hit!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pinot noir or good dark red wine
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese plus additional for serving
• 2 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon (about 2-3 strips)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Few cracks of fresh black pepper
• 4 ciabatta rolls

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan bring wine, brown sugar and rosemary to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until liquid reduces to 1/2 cup, about 7-8 minutes. Remove rosemary and set aside to cool, reserving 2 tablespoons for serving.

2. In a large bowl add ground beef, onion, gorgonzola, bacon, garlic, worcestershire, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of red wine reduction. Mix until combined. Form into 4 equal size patties.

3. Preheat grill or a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add burgers and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Flip and brush with some of the remaining red wine reduction and cook for 5-7 minutes longer. Flip again and brush with red wine reduction and cook until desired doneness.

4. Place burgers on rolls, drizzle with reserved reduction, top with additional cheese and serve.

If desired, slice a small red onion and cook with burgers in skillet. Serve on top of burgers with cheese.Quick bacon tip: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil and place desired amount of bacon strips on baking sheet. Cook for 18-20 minutes until crispy.

Recipe and photo are from: www.MotherThyme.com

 

“This is a nod to the nostalgia of our childhood TV dinner. But the difference here is fresh fish and our special tartar sauce, easily created from ingredients you likely have in the fridge.”

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise
• About 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 4 striped bass fillets with skin (about 2 lbs. total), halved and skin scored
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Lemon wedges

Preparation

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium heat (350° to 450°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds). Set a cooling rack over half of cooking grate. In a small bowl, mix potatoes and 1 tbsp. oil. Spread potatoes on rack and grill until browned, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.

2. While potatoes cook, make sauce and cook fish. For sauce, in a small bowl, mix capers, lemon juice, zest, and mayonnaise. Set aside.

3. Rub fish on both sides with remaining 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt. Using a wad of oiled paper towels and tongs, oil clear portion of cooking grate. Lay fish on grate and cook, turning once, until grill marks appear and fish is opaque, about 5 minutes total.

4. Transfer potatoes and fish to a platter. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and the parsley. Serve with caper mayonnaise and lemon wedges for fish.

Recipe and photo from www.MyRecipes.com

With Easter fast approaching, this recipe is sure to be a hit at your Easter Brunch with buttery bread, slabs of melted cheese, prosciutto, and finished with an egg on top. Serve it with a bright, berry-scented sparkling rosé or crisp white, such as, our March Premier Series Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 2012.

TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
SERVINGS: 6

Ingredients:

• Six 1-inch-thick slices of brioche
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus softened butter, for brushing
• 6 ounces frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
• 1/4 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 pound Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
• 12 thin slices of prosciutto (6 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Brush both sides of the brioche slices with softened butter and arrange in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Broil the brioche 8 inches from the heat, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes total. Leave the broiler on.

2. In a medium bowl, toss the frisée with the parsley, scallions, lemon juice and olive oil. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in each of 2 large nonstick skillets. Crack 3 eggs into each skillet and cook sunny side up over moderate heat, until the whites are firm and the yolks runny, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper.

4. Top the brioche with the Gruyère, covering as much of the toasts as possible with the cheese. Broil 8 inches from the heat for about 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Transfer the cheesy brioche toasts to plates. Top with the frisée salad, prosciutto and fried eggs and serve at once.

Recipe and photo from www.FoodandWine.com

Reminiscent of a pasta salad, this spring recipe coats rotini and colorful vegetables with a basil-flecked balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked rotini (corkscrew pasta)
• Cooking spray
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken and asparagus to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta, basil, vinegar, and oil. Arrange 2 cups pasta mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Recipe and photo from: www.MyRecipes.com

This mouthwatering salmon recipe features crisp bacon, savory dijon, and sweet maple that is grilled to perfection and is perfect for your busy week nights!

YIELD: SERVES 2-4
TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh salmon filet, skin-on (about 1-inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the fish with the olive oil.

Whisk together the dijon and maple syrup. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the salmon, then spread the entire top with the dijon mixture. Place the salmon on the grill, skin-side down. Grill for 12 to 14 minutes, or until fish is flakey and opaque. Remove and crumble bacon on top. Slice salmon into pieces and it should easily come away from the skin. Serve immediately.

Recipe and photo for www.HowSweetEats.com

St. Patrick’s Day is known for its green beer and Corned Beef and Cabbage but we decided to share another Irish classic, Irish Stew. Most households in Ireland will have their own version of this Irish staple but this particular version comes from “The Julia Child of Ireland”, Darina Allen, Ireland’s most famous chef and her Ballymaloe Irish Stew will become an instant favorite! Sláinte!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 8 medium or 12 baby carrots
• 8 medium or 12 baby onions
• 8 -12 potatoes, or more if you like
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1½-1¾ pints stock (lamb stock if possible) or water
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 tablesp. roux, optional – see recipe

 Garnish:

• 1 tablesp. freshly chopped parsley
• 1 tablesp. freshly chopped chives

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4.

2. Cut the chops in half and trim off some of the excess fat. Set aside. Render down the fat on a gentle heat in a heavy pan (discard the rendered down pieces).

3. Peel the onions and scrape or thinly peel the carrots (if they are young you could leave some of the green stalk on the onion and carrot). Cut the carrots into large chunks, or if they are small leave them whole. If the onions are large, cut them into quarters through the root, if they are small they are best left whole.

4. Toss the meat in the hot fat on the pan until it is slightly brown. Transfer the meat into a casserole, then quickly toss the onions and carrots in the fat. Build the meat, carrots and onions up in layers in the casserole, carefully season each layer with freshly ground pepper and salt. De-glaze the pan with lamb stock and pour into the casserole. Peel the potatoes and lay them on top of the casserole, so they will steam while the stew cooks. Season the potatoes. Add a sprig of thyme, bring to the boil on top of the stove, cover with a butter wrapper or paper lid and the lid of the saucepan. Transfer to a moderate oven or allow to simmer on top of the stove until the stew is cooked, 1-1½ hours approx, depending on whether the stew is being made with lamb or hogget.

5. When the stew is cooked, pour off the cooking liquid, de-grease and reheat in another saucepan. Slightly thicken by whisking in a little roux if you like. Check seasoning, then add chopped parsley and chives. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Bring the stew back up to boiling point and serve from the pot or in a large pottery dish.

Roux (Optional)

• 4 ozs (110g) butter
• 4 ozs (110g) flour

Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred. It will keep at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.

Irish Stew with Pearl Barley

1. Add 1-2 tablespoons pearl barley with the vegetables.
2. Increase the stock to 2 pints (1.2L) as the pearl barley soaks up lots of liquid.

Recipe from www.CookingIsFun.ie
Photo from www.Telegraph.co.uk