Baked Stuffed Clams

serves 4-6

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 pound of chopped clams (2 cups)
• 2 Tablespoons dry vermouth or white wine
• 1/2 teaspoons of sweet paprika
• 1 Tablespoon of chopped jalapeno-drained pickled jalapeno or cherry peppers can be substituted
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of ground dried chorizo
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons of granulated garlic powder
• 2–5 dashes of Gypsy Juice or Parrot hot sauce
• 1 medium onion minced
• 2 Tablespoons of chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 cup of plain bread crumbs, preferably homemade
• 1 lemon
• 6–8 small ramekins, scallop or large sea clam shells lightly greased
•  Preheat oven to 400° F.

1. Heat 10 inch or larger saute pan and melt butter
2. Saute onion and chorizo and jalapeno together for 4-5 minutes on medium heat and set aside
3. In a large mixing bowl combine bread crumbs, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, parsley, hot sauce, wine and clams and mix thoroughly. Add contents of saute pan to the bowl and mix. Add desired amount of clam stuffing to scallop shells or ramekins and place on baking sheet. Bake for 15–18 minutes. Serve with Gypsy Juice hot sauce and fresh lemon.

Rustic Bread

 

 

Easy no knead recipe
Makes one loaf

3 ¾ cups of bread flour
2 teaspoons of salt
1 1/4 oz envelope of rapid rise yeast – Fleischmann’s
1¾ cups of warm water
small dutch oven, cast iron sauce pan with lid or baking crock with lid

In a deep bowl mix flour, yeast, salt and water. Batter should be slightly wet and sticky
Lightly oil one side of plastic wrap and cover bread
Let rise in a warm place 4-6 hours or overnight. Dough will double in size
Lightly flour bottom of pan
Pre-heat oven to 450° and place pan and lid in oven while preheating

Place raised dough in pan, make cuts cross lines with sharp knife on top
Cover, bake for 30 minutes
Remove lid and bake additional 20 minutes
Remove from oven and allow bread to cool in pan

Slice to desired thickness. Enjoy for sandwiches or toast
Keep in a plastic bag. Will keep in refrigerator for one week

Chopped Watercress Salad

Serves 4-6

This salad is colorful as well as crunchy

2-3 bunches of watercress washed and spun dry
1 small red onion chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese- preferably Valdeon or Jasper Hill Bailey Hazen blue
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts
1 head of Belgium endive sliced julienne
1 small red pepper seeded, remove rib and cut into small pieces

You will need a large salad bowl

Prepare watercress by cutting off lower thick stems, keep small leaves and chop into bite size pieces and place in bowl
add endive, red pepper and onion
top with nuts and cheese, set aside

Rice vinaigrette

whisk the following ingredients in a small bowl set aside

3 tablespoons of Marukan seasoned rice vinegar
pinch of sea salt
pinch white pepper
2 tablespoons of a fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of walnut or hazelnut oil

To maintain the delicate nature of watercress it is essential not to dress salad until serving time

Chicken Meatballs

Makes 6-8

Watching calories? Chicken is a great substitute for ground beef and much fewer calories

1 lb of ground chicken
2 tablespoons of chopped flat leaf parsley
4  large eggs beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated garlic
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 large onion finely chopped about 1 cup
¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried oregano

Mix all ingredients, form meatballs to desired size. Have your favorite red sauce made and heated. Add meatballs gently to hot red sauce, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Turn carefully, cook another 10 minutes covered. Serve with your favorite pasta.

 

Tips

Recipe can be made with all ground turkey or 1/3 of each of ground pork, chicken and beef

Wild Blueberry Nut Bread

Lisa Lamme’ from the Gypsy Kitchen

Makes 2 small loafs or 12 muffins
Light and flaky with a crunchy top. Bread is fabulous toasted

2 cups wild blueberries- frozen maybe used
½ cup of cold cubed unsalted butter
¾ cup of cake or pastry flour plus 2 tablespoons
1½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup of chopped walnuts -optional
¾ cup organic sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
Zest of two lemons
¾ teaspoon of fresh grated nutmeg
¾ cup of milk or cream
2 teaspoons of  real vanilla extract
2 large eggs
4 teaspoons baking powder
Oil to lightly grease tins

Preheat oven to 400°
Oil tins
Toss blueberries in 2 tablespoons of cake flour in a bowl
Mix eggs, zest, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, salt and sugar in a bowl
Mix remaining flours together, add butter into dry ingredients and mix until you get a fine grain
Add baking powder to flour mixture
Add liquids to flour and mix 8-10 times
Add in berries and nuts mix 3-4times

Fill tins or loaf pans three quarters full
Bake 40-45 minutes for bread, 30-35 minutes for muffins. Test with a knife for dryness.

Remove from oven, un-mold from pans before cooling. Serve warm