Grilled Scallops with Parsnip-Fennel Puree

Make a recipe of  Parsnip-Fennel Puree for every two persons to be served. Recipe below is for 2; scale accordingly.

© 2013 Edward C Kern, Jr.

Dry

10 to 12 (1/2 to 2/3 #) dry* sea scallops

Heat a cast iron griddle/pan on the grill or stove. Lightly coat hot griddle with

olive oil

and when oil is hot place the scallops on the griddle.

Cook at high for 3 minutes, turn scallops and cook 2 -3 more minutes (depending on size of scallops), until nicely browned on both sides.

Divide the puree between two plates.  Place the cooked scallops on top. Garnish with

Lemon zest and/or grilled scallions

Grilled Scallions

Wash and trim
3 large or 6 small scallions.

If the scallions are large, slice then in half vertically.  Lightly coat with

olive oil

and grill until soft but not charred.

*  "Dry scallops" are scallops that have not been soaked in phosphates ("wet scallops") which causes them to absorb water and loose flavor; the phosphates also make the scallops "look better" to some consumers and prevent them from losing water, hence weight, hence market profits. Dry scallops are occasionally, but not usually, advertised as such; you will probably need to ask the fish monger if the scallops are "dry"/unsoaked. They are also referred to as diver scallops and, especially on restaurant menus  as day boat scallops.

Reviewed7/9/2017

Parsnip-Fennel Puree

I started this post as "Scallops on Fennel-Parsnip Puree" but having made the puree several times I decided that the puree deserves its own entry. This mixture when completely pureed has an incredible silky consistency and a wonderful pale yellow, hint of spring, color. While it is delicious paired with scallops, it would be equally good with beef, chicken.... Grilled scallions make a good garnish. Took this for a spin at a dinner party last night, served with grilled scallops, and both were very well received.

Serves 2. Scale up accordingly.

Chop in small pieces and boil until tender, about 15 minutes:

5 oz parsnips
4 oz potatoes
3 oz fennel

Skim off any foam. Drain and puree in a food processor* until smooth, then blend in

1 t olive oil
The puree may be made a few hours ahead and then warmed again in the microwave just before serving.

* April 2013: Using an immersion blender (see Cool Tools 3) makes the prep time shorter and the clean-up easier. The resulting puree, however, does not have as silky a texture as the puree made in a food processor.








Reviewed 8/23/2017

Christmas 2012

This Christmas we enjoyed some of our old-favorite traditional dishes* as well as some new ones.  The house was full with family which justified huge plates of cookies, some old favorites** along with Chris's Oatmeal Cookies (made with dried cranberries instead of the usual raisins) and Brownies and Alex and Dan's Candy Cane Cookies.

Dan's Scandinavian heritage was recognized by some family baked gifts:  "Fattigman",  and Norwegian Cardamom Christmas Bread. Dan's Mom sent a box of Michigan treats recalling Dan's Marquette roots and Alex and Dan made a rendition of Dan's Mom's Swedish Meat Balls for dinner one night.  These recipes are all special to Dan's family so with the exception of the Candy Cane Cookies were not shared and will not be a subject of future posts.

For the first time in many years, I made Dilly Beans this fall and they were a special addition to the holiday d'oeuvres as well as a holiday gift for family.  Alex and I blind tasted the two versions: (1) the way I have always made them and (2) a hot water bath version I made for the first time this year.  Especially given the varying sizes of the beans it was hard to distinguish between the two. Final verdict was, given same size bean, the hot water bath beans may be a tiny bit less crisp.

Since Dan had never been to Cape Ann, between Christmas and New Year's we picked a clear (but cold and windy) day right after a snowfall and headed in that direction.  We walked around  Eastern Point and Halibut Point, prominences we are more used to seeing from the water. We stopped at Rockport enroute and then had lunch at Woodman's, the home of the fried clam. Ninety years and five generations later Woodman's is still frying clams in lard. When I questioned this choice, they justified the use of  lard saying lard has no trans fats.

Checking online sources, including Wikipedia,, I found this is true but, "By the late 20th century, lard had begun to be considered less healthy than vegetable oils (such as olive and sunflower oil) because of its high saturated fatty acid and cholesterol content. However, despite its reputation, lard has less saturated fat, more unsaturated fat, and less cholesterol than an equal amount of butter by weight. Unlike many margarines and vegetable shortenings, unhydrogenated lard contains no trans fat."

Given the special occasion I just enjoyed the clams and did not point out there are healthier non-transfat options for frying these whole bellied delicacies. 

After lunch we drove to the entrance of the Crane Estate and walked up Castle Hill and around the grounds overlooking Essex Bay and Plum Island Sound, then ended our afternoon with a chilly but pretty walk on Crane Beach.

New's Years dawned. We took Alex and Dan to their plane and returned home to an empty house and 3 cookies left  from the holidays.

*  Roasted Almonds
    Hot Potato Salad (Christmas Eve)
    Strawberry Shortcake (Christmas Eve)
    Cranberry Stollen (Christmas Morning)
    Cranberry Bread
    Cranberry Pudding (Christmas Night)
** Nut Puffs
    Ginger Snaps
    Mexican Chocolate Meringues

Cape Ann photos © 2012 Edward C Kern, Jr.

Reviewed 9/22/2017

Chris's Brownies

Chris brought some awesome brownies to share with family over the recent holidays.  The recipe he used and gave me is Supernatural Brownies in the April 2007 edition of the New York Times, adapted from “Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers,” by Nick Malgieri.  We not only added some to the cookie platter but had them as a stand alone dessert, their richness tempered by a clementine or small scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.  

Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and line with buttered parchment paper.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.







In a double boiler [or microwave] melt:

8 oz  butter [2 sticks! not a typo - these definitely fall in the category of "special/holiday dessert"]

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate

In a large mixing bowl whisk together:

4 eggs [why bother with my usual "egg product" when using this much butter]

then add:

1/2 t salt
1 c dark brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
2 t vanilla extract

Whisk the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients, then fold in

1 c flour

Then add (optional)

1/2 c chopped walnuts

(The recipe also gives an option of arranging 3/4 c of whole walnuts on top of the batter; Chris used the chopped nuts but not the topping nuts.)

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes "or until shiny and beginning to crack on top".

The author notes, "For best flavor, bake 1 day before serving, let cool and store, tightly wrapped. "

September 2013: I was recently asked to bake brownies for a Dartmouth College First Year Trip.  My few attempts at brownies have been pretty disastrous, and Chris's comment about a dessert  pot-luck he recently attended did not boost my confidence:  "If I'd just gone for the food, I would have been better off to stay home and eat the Linzertorte I made.  Most of the other desserts were gooey brownies,  definitely not worth the calories."  Oh my!  But Chris said this recipe was pretty fool-proof and fortunately he turned out to be right; I made two batches and both met my expectations. 

Lining the pan definitely helped.  After the brownies had cooled, it was so easy to carefully lift them out of the pan on the paper.  Even the first piece cut cleanly!

I melted the chocolate and butter in a microwave instead of a double boiler.  I checked and stirred the mixture each minute for the first two minutes then every 30 seconds. In my microwave, which does not run as hot as some, this took 4 minutes.  

Since the batter is so stiff, it is needs to be smoothed level once it has been poured (and scraped) into the pan.

Because I could not make these right before the event, I froze both batches.  I removed the paper from each sheet, wrapped each sheet (un-cut) tightly in aluminum foil and placed one sheet on top of the other in the cleaned baking pan so that the brownies would be protected in the freezer and while traveling to the event where they were enjoyed by all :-)

December 2014:  Chris just brought us some brownies made in his Edge Brownie Pan. Many more edges and corners --- very yummy.  

Reviewed 5/14/17

Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

In late November I was in Cambridge and wandered into the Coop Bookstore. In the stacks of newly arrived books, Smitten Kitchen caught my eye.  I had come across the Smitten Kitchen blog on some of my searches in the past, and the book really showcases Ms. Perleman's excellent photos. However, I have learned to remember I do have a library card and restrain myself from buying cookbooks. After perusing the book, I did resolve to visit the blog and try a few recipes. Then I went to Chris's for dinner one night and, apologetically noting cookies are hardly a dinner party dessert, he served the most awesome oatmeal raisin cookies (and ice cream). Shortly after I suggested (begged) he make a batch of these cookies for the Christmas holidays.  "You know they are good because they have butter in them," he warned, referring indirectly to my butter-deprived Oatmeal Cookies and Cranberry-Orange Oatmeal Cookies. Just before Christmas, he arrived with a double batch of the delicious oatmeal cookies and awesome brownies, reading my mind and proffering the recipes for both.  "SK" on top of the cookie recipe.  Ah!  These are from Smitten Kitchen I exclaimed and quickly launched into a summary of  an article about Deb Perleman and her Blog/Book Smitten Kitchen I had just read in the New York Times and about the book I had seen in The Coop.  Christmas came and I found a copy of Smitten Kitchen under the tree :-)  Chris had purchased the book several weeks earlier and, given my recent SK enthusiasm, worried it would be a duplicate....

You can go to Smitten Kitchen and get the recipe for thick, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies  as well as the delightful commentary and photos or (in case this recipe moves from the SK blog to the next SK cookbook) just follow my condensed directions below.

Makes ~ 2 dozen cookies

In a large bowl cream together until smooth:

1/2 c (4 oz) butter, room temperature
2/3 c (4.4 oz) light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/2 t vanilla extract

In a separate bowl mix:

3/4 c (95 g/3.35 oz) flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t table salt

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients along with:

3/4 c (4.2 oz) raisins [or dried cranberries (especially good for holiday cookies!)]
1/2 c (2.3 oz) walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Ms. Perleman writes, "The last trick to getting a really thick, chewy cookie is to chill the dough before you bake it."  So "At this point you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and chill the whole tray before baking them."  She also notes one can scoop and freeze for later baking .Maybe this theory should be applied to my oatmeal cookie recipes!

Cookies should be ~2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake 10 - 12 minutes "until golden at the edges but still a little under-cooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool."

Reviewed 5/14/17

Edible Gifts

It's that time of year again, and I'm thinking what can go from the kitchen to under the Christmas tree.  This year it is going to be Dilly Beans (I planned ahead this fall), Maple Walnuts, Caramelized Pecans and Roasted Almonds.

During the year I save attractive jars (especially red topped jam jars) to use as holiday containers for my various gifts. I've done almonds for years, pecans recently and walnuts are new this year. Most of the maple walnut gifts are maple walnut pieces for ice cream and salad topping.  I've included a recipe for Maple Mustard Dressing with some of the jars. I separate out the whole walnuts and package them separately, as "nibbling walnuts."



Fruit Cake was one of my Dad's favorites.  I used to make at least 3 fruit cakes for Christmas; one to share, one to go under the tree for Dad and one to save as his February birthday gift. The rest of the family is not really that keen on fruit cake, so since Dad died I have scaled back and occasionally make one cake for the holidays. This is still a good present, however, especially if made in the smaller mini-gift size pans.

Cranberry Bread (photo left) was always the "teacher's gift". For a few years I made it, and then Alex and Chris helped me or really made it themselves for their favorite teachers.  This is always a most appreciated item for holiday fairs.

Cookies, especially Mexican Meringues, Molasses Cookies/Ginger Snaps, particularly in the form of gingerbread men/ladies, and holiday stars and trees, and Nut Puffs also make nice gifts. And sometimes I have made a Cranberry Pudding, our traditional Christmas night dessert, for special friends/absent family members.

BEACH PLUM JELLY

Many years ago when "Grandmother" (Ed's Mom) summered on Chappaquiddick Island we gathered beach plums in August.  Old photo at left shows ripe beach plums in foreground and Pogue Pond in the background. I would then make Beach Plum Jelly, the majority of it eventually filling Grandmother's Christmas stocking. Ed's Mom died in 1997 but even for several years prior to then I had no source of beach plums.  However, since this blog is is in part "historical",  I include this well tested recipe, for "Standard Beach Plum Jelly"* adapted from Plum Crazy, by Elizabeth Post Mirel for the "archives".

Make beach plum juice:

Simmer for 30 minutes

10 c beach plums
2 c water

Strain through cheese cloth. Do not squeeze.

Make the jelly:

Bring to a boil and boil hard for one minute

3 1/2 c beach plum juice [I use 4 cups]
6 c sugar
3 oz (1/2 bottle)liquid pectin such as Certo

Skim off foam. Put in sterile jelly jars and seal.

*  In the preface to the jelly recipes, Ms. Mirel writes: "Before producing jelly, you must decide whether you want Natural Beach Plum Jelly, made with fruit, sugar and water only, or Standard Beach Plum Jelly, made with fruit, sugar, water and added pectin. The adherents of Natural Beach Plum Jelly claim that the pectin is an unnecessary adulterant. The advocates of Standard Beach Plum Jelly state that making jelly without added pectin is risky." (page 31) She then devotes several paragraphs to the pros and cons of each method.  As I recall, when I tired to go the natural route, my batch did not jell properly.

Reviewed 9/22/2017

Gallimaufry

© 2012 Edward C Kern, Jr.

When cruising, Ed and I usually eat on board. One of the few exceptions is when were are near Little Cranberry Island in Maine.  Then, often with other sailing friends, we make a special effort to have dinner at Isleford Dock. * For the past few years our favorite entree has been "Gulf of Maine Halibut white beans, fennel, spring onions", but this past summer a new offering caught my eye: "Gallimaufry of Steamed Maine shellfish whole lobster, clams, mussels, and crab claws in slightly spicy seafood broth (corn and fingerling potatoes)".  The catch, it was served for two.  It took a bit of persuading to get Ed to give up the known halibut for the unknown, but he finally agreed to give it a try (photo left).  While Ed was not enthralled with the whole lobster (cut in half) or some of the other in-shell creatures, he did like the spicy sauce/broth, spicy in part due to the rings of jalapeno in the mix.

I decided to try a version of this at home.  My first step was to define "gallimaufry", maybe it would reveal some key ingredient(s) or technique. Sadly not,  "gallimaufry" is defined as a confused jumble or medley of things; hodgepodge.  So this is one of those anything (almost) goes dishes.  The variety of seafood in this dish works if cooking for a large crowd or shopping at a fish market that sells in small quantities.  Cooking for just two and starting with a whole bag (smallest quantity available) of Moosabec mahogany clams, I decided this would be enough seafood and focused on the sauce.

In a large pan heated to ~350 degrees add:

1 T olive oil 
4 cloves garlic (about 1 T), finely minced
1  jalapeno chili, in small slices (or more to taste; Isleford Dock cuts in rings)
10 - 12 "creamer" size or fingerling potatoes

Sautee a few minutes until garlic and potatoes are slightly browned, then add

1/3 c white wine

Stir for a couple of minutes and then add:

14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (I used Muir Organic Fire Roasted with Green Chilies)
1/2 c corn kernels**

Bring mixture to a boil and then add

2 # Moosabec mahogany little neck clams, previously washed and scrubbed*** 

Check every few minutes to see if the clams have opened; continue to cook over medium high heat until most/all of the clams have opened. Discard any unopened clams. Add:

2 T  fresh minced cilantro
Pepper to taste

Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. (Didn't have any garnish for photo, 2nd from top, and color is definitely missing.  Tasty, but does not compare photographically with the inspiration-dish in Ed's color saturated cell phone photo at top.)

Note:  This recipe makes a lot of sauce/broth but the quantity seems consistent with the amount in the Isleford Dock dish.  Serve in shallow bowls or on plates with higher rims.

* Isleford Dock is special not only because of its excellent food but also for its magnificent views across Eastern Way to Mount Desert Island.  Vacationers from Mount Desert come to Little Cranberry Island by private boats and a small public ferry to dine, visit the few galleries on the dock and take in the awesome views, especially the sunset over Mount Desert.  The Secret Life of Lobsters by Trevor Corson, recommended to us by a  kayaker we met on a nearby island, is a good read while visiting this part of the world. This book,  which among many other things provides a good description of life on Little Cranberry and the role Isleford Dock plays in the small lobstering community, provides an excellent overview of the scientific and commercial aspects of lobsters and lobstering.

** Isleford Dock used ~ 1 1/2 slices of fresh corn on the cob; I would do the same when corn is in season.

*** Made with just clams, this is almost a spicy tomato based rendition of Linguine with Clams. But, remember this is really meant to be a  jumble or medley. Improvise and add a mix of seafood based on availability and/or personal taste.  While Isleford Dock used lobster, clams, mussels and crab claws,  shrimp, scallops,  and/or chunks of white fish, even chunks of sausage and/or chicken (as in Seafood Gumbo) would work. Adjust final cooking time accordingly.

Reviewed 7/9/2017