Minted Salt Air Blond Mussels Cioppino

After a glorious early summer day on Cape Henlopen beach on the DelMarVa peninsula, we stopped by the Salt Air restaurant in Rehoboth Beach for a quick bite before driving home.  I had their mussels with cream and went straight to heaven - did not pass GO.

Here's how I imagine they must have made it, but adding some haddock to make more of a hearty stew, or cioppino.  Unlike the classic San Fransiscan version, this is a blonde version - no tomato base.  A light base to let the haddock flavors shine through, accented only a bit by a dash of red pepper flake, mint and cilantro.

You could add whatever seafood you like.  For example, scallops or shrimp would be welcome dish-mates here.
1 link smoked Andouille sausage, or chorizo, diced
1 yellow or orange pepper (or half and half), diced
1 leek, cleaned, trimmed and diced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 lbs mussels, cleaned and rinsed
1 lb haddock fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped

Heat a glug of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Sauté the sausage, peppers and leek for about 10 minutes, to develop flavor and brown up a bit. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine, cream and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, stir, and cover pot. Cook for two minutes and then stir.

Scatter the haddock about the mussels and cover again. Cook just until the mussels all open and the haddock is heated through.

Serve mussels and fish in wide bowls with plenty of the sauce on the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle cilantro and mint leaves over mussels. Serve with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread to sop up all the sauce.

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as an appetizer.

Cape Henlopen National Seashore, Delaware

Butternut Rhubarb and Apple Choucroute

Your CSA springin' rhubarb on you this spring?  You could make strawberry rhubarb anything, but why not pair that wonderful rich sourness with something savory?

This is as exciting as the World Cup playing soccer on your palate - so much action happening in each bite. The sour of rhubarb and the sweet of apple.  The heat of jalapeño and the earth tones of cumin and rosemary.  All supported by the umami flavor structure of butternut squash, pork and sauerkraut.  I don't care who wins after eating this! (OK, I actually do care...)
1-1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced, about 2-3 cups
2 tsp rosemary
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 apples, peed, cored and diced
8 stalks rhubarb, cleaned and diced
2 Tbsp honey
2 lb fresh sauerkraut
2 lb country pork ribs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
12 oz Andouille or Polish sausage, diced

Preheat oven to 425. Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and rosemary. Generously salt and pepper the squash and mix well. Turn out into a rimmed baking sheet and roast in oven for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté onions and cumin seeds in a skillet with a bit of olive oil for about 15 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. In a separate skillet, sauté the apple in a bit of olive oil for about 5-8 minutes over medium high heat. Allow the apple to brown up a bit.

Add the rhubarb and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Add the honey and allow the mix to brown.  But watch the rhubarb, to keep all of it from getting too soft. Some of the rhubarb will break down a bit. Fold together the onions with the apple and rhubarb.

Rise the sauerkraut lightly in a colander with a bit of water. Squeeze out water a bit with your hands. When the butternut squash is soft, tip it into an oiled 9x13-inch baking casserole. Top with the sauerkraut. Lay the pork ribs on the sauerkraut. Salt and pepper to taste. Top the ribs with the sausage.

Then top with apple rhubarb mixture.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the pork is just cooked through the the topping is browned up a bit.

Serves 4.

Panfried Haddock Wrapped in Prosciutto

I learned this simple technique from a Mark Bittman New York Times video.  He ("The Minimalist") expressed his appreciation for how simple this dish is, with so few ingredients.  I couldn't agree more.  This is a perfect example of KISS.
1-1/2 to 2 lb haddock fillet
4 thin slices prosciutto
1 Tbsp olive oil ply 2 Tbsp butter

Cut the haddock into 4 serving pert ions. Wrap each portion in a slice of prosciutto.

I ended up with 2 large single-serving pieces and four smaller half-serving pieces. You can cut the prosciutto to the size of the serving, or just use more slices of prosciutto, as I did!

Melt the butter in the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place the fish in the skillet and brown each side gently. Turn every few minutes.

Total cooking time should be no more than 7-10 minutes, at a moderate heat that does not burn the prosciutto.

Serve with lemon. Serves 4.

Cook’s Note: A nice variation is to place a fresh sage leaf on top of each fillet and wrap it with the fish. Alternatively, any fresh herbs could be used. Or a dab of mustard or horseradish.

Asparagus with Sherried Mushrooms

I'm impressed and thrilled at the asparagus season in the Mid-Atlantic.  I continue here with ways to celebrate such a wonderful harvest.  In Europe they celebrate the "Weisse Spargle" or white asparagus in Germany, which is served in restaurants throughout Europe this time of year in a thousand different ways.  Here is way No. 5 for this growing season.  With more to come, I am sure.

A simple stir fry, paired with mushrooms, another champion of the Mid -Atlantic.  We are in the very heart of the mushroom capital of the USA.  Is that the reason the French call them "Champignon"?!  :-))
1 bunch asparagus, washed and drained
1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
1/4 cup sherry
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

Snap the asparagus spears as close to the bottom as they naturally snap. Discard ends and slice stems at a bias, about 1/2-inch long. Reserve about 2 inches of the tip and set aside.

Heat the oil and the butter in a large skillet until just smoking. Add the mushrooms and cook through until they release what water they will, and begin to brown up a bit. This should take about 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, add the asparagus tips to a small microwave-friendly bowl with a tablespoon water and a dash of salt. microwave for 30 seconds, stir and then zap another 30 seconds. Set aside.

Add the sherry to the mushrooms when they are well browned, and cook with stirring, until the sherry is evaporated. Remove the mushrooms to a bowl.

In the same skillet, add the next tablespoon of olive oil and bring almost to smoking. Add the cherry tomatoes and the sliced asparagus. Cook over high heat, stirring fairly often, for about 3-5 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to blister and the asparagus in just crisp-tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fold the mushrooms into the asparagus and tip into a serving bowl. Top with the drained asparagus spas, decoratively, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Frittata with Tomatoes and Sage

When old friends come to visit, with fresh eggs from their own chickens, and when they hand them to you, and they slip from your hand, and drop to the driveway, and you break half of them - quick, make this frittata.

With a base crust of well-browned potatoes, this frittata resembles a Spanish potato tortilla at its base.  Fresh veggies hanging around - here I used orange pepper, zucchini and spring onions - add a sweet, slightly crispy note.  A good cheese lends depth, and comfort.

Breakfast, brunch or dinner.  Just remember, you have to break a few eggs to make a frittata!
8 eggs, broken
1/4 cup half and half or light cream

4 small (lime-sized) or 2 large potatoes (about 3/4 lb), washed
1 orange pepper, diced
4-6 large green onions, sliced, about 2 cups
1 zucchini, diced
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced

1/3 lb herb-garlic cheddar cheese (or other favorite cheese), diced
1 large fresh, ripe tomato, sliced into 6 slices
6-8 fresh sage leaves

Prick the potatoes with the tines of a fork several times and microwave for 1 minute. Turn the over and microwave another minute. Meanwhile, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large (10-inch) oven-going non-stick skillet. Carefully slice the potatoes thickly (about 1/4-inch) and place in the skillet. Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, shaking often. Allow the first side of the potatoes to brown well, then flip. Cook the other side for about the same amount of time, until it is browned as well.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, sauté the pepper, onions and zucchini in a bit of olive oil. Add the oregano after about 5 minutes and continue cooking until the potatoes are browned.

Preheat the oven to 375F. When the potatoes are done, shake them to form a single layer (crust) on the bottom of the skillet. Distribute the sautéed veggies evenly on top. Then scatter the cubed cheese over them.

Whisk together the eggs and the half and half. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour the eggs over the veggies in the skillet and turn on to medium-high.

Lay the tomatoes on top of the eggs, and top with the fresh sage leaves.

Allow the eggs to set a bit, gently running a spatula around the edges, lifting the frittata up gently, a bit, and allowing the eggs to run in underneath.

After the eggs have set well around the edges. Bake in the oven to finish off the frittata, for about 15 minutes, or until the eggs have set and the frittata is nicely browned.

Using a spatula, gently coerce the frittata out of the skillet onto a serving platter.

Serves 4.

Mole Mocha Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Pineapple and Spinach

A spicy southwestern dry-rubbed pork tenderloin is balanced with juicy grilled fresh pineapple rings.
Dry Rub:
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp instant coffee crystals
1 Tbsp herbes de Provence, or Italian herbs
2 tsp Pimenton, Spanish smoked paprika
2 tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder

1 large pork tenderloin, about 1-1/2 lb
8-10 cups baby spinach leaves
4 fresh pineapple rings, cored

Whisk together the dry rub ingredients.

Tip out the rub mixture onto a 9x13-inch rimmed baking sheet and shake to distribute evenly. Lay the tenderloin on the rub, and roll around to completely cover the meat.

Use your fingers to distribute rub into nooks and crannies. Let meat sit for at least an hour to absorb flavors.

Heat grill. Grill pineapple rings, about 2 minutes on the first side. Flip, spray with oil and and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat on both sides, turning rings a quarter turn to get cross-hatch grill marks.

Set pineapple aside, covered. Keep grill warm.

Return grill to high. Generously spray tenderloin with oil and grill, turning often, until internal temperature is 145F. Remove meat to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to sit 10 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, sauté the spinach over high heat in a large skillet, with a bit of olive oil. Salt to taste. Toss often with tongs to mix the spinach well. Tip the skillet after a few minutes, and spoon any excess water out of the skillet and discard. Stop cooking when all leaves have wilted and are just cooked through.

Slice the pork on a bias.

Plate a pineapple ring on each plate. Top with sautéed spinach. Serve pork with pineapple and spinach.

Serves 4.

Pasta Primavera Quattro Formaggi

This is your recipe. Use as a guideline with what you have on hand, and you can vary it every week for the rest of the summer, depending on the veggies at hand!
2-3 carrots, sliced, about 1-1/2 cups
1 leek, cleaned, trimmed and diced
1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 orange pepper, cut into matchsticks
1/2 yellow pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 crown broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces, about 2 cups
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 lb pasta, I used corkscrew elbow

1 cup Mozzarella, cubed 1/4-inch
1/4 cup Gouda cheese, cubed 1/4-inch
1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Sauté the carrots in the butter and oil in a large skillet.

Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the leeks and cook another 5 minutes.

Add the peppers, broccoli and red pepper flakes. Cook another 5-8 minutes or so, just until the veggies are crisp-tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, bring 2-3 quarts of water to a boil, salt generously, and cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, until just al dente. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Toss the veggies in together with the pasta and then fold in the Mozzarella, Gouda and Feta cheeses.

Tip into a serving bowl and top with the Parmesan. Scatter fresh parsley on top.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note: I used organic purple, red and orange carrots, which are extraordinarily sweet and colorful. You can use whatever veggies you like in this dish.

I used mozzarella, Gouda and feta cheeses. You could substitute another flavorful cheese for the Gouda, such as Gruyere or Aged Asiago, and maybe fontina for the Mozzarella, but I'd definitely leave the Feta. Romano could serve instead of the Parmesan.

Salmon Poached with Spring Onion on Pasta

Get your dose of omega-3 fatty acids with some sweet spring onions balanced with spicy red chili. Simple. Fresh. Good.
1/2 lb spaghetti
3 spring onions, bulb halved and stems sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 red chili pepper, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 reserved pasta cooking water
1 lb skinless salmon fillet, cut into 3-4 pieces
4 cups broccoli flowerets
4-6 lime or lemon wedges

Brink 2-3 quarts of water to a boil in a medium pot. Generously salt the water and add the spaghetti. Cook, stirring often just until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat about a tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the spring onions, garlic, ginger and red chili, and sauté for about 3-5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and wine, and bring to a boil. Add the salmon fillets, cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Drain the spaghetti when ready, and keep warm.

Add the broccoli to the skillet with the salmon, gently placing around the salmon. Cover and cook another 3-5 minutes, just until the salmon is cooked through and the broccoli is only just crisp-tender. Adjust broth level with reserved pasta cooking water if necessary.

Place a portion of spaghetti in a wide bowl. Top with salmon, onions, broccoli and some of the poaching liquid. Serve with lime or lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Warm Potatoes Peas and Pepper Salad

This warm potato salad is a great side dish and could make a light vegetarian meal as well.
1-1/2 lb fingerling potatoes, halved
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
1/2 orange pepper, sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Put potatoes in a medium pot and just cover with water. Bring to a boil, add a teaspoon salt, and simmer until potatoes are only just cooked through.

Meanwhile, sauté the peppers in a bit of olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the peas and capers, stir and remove from heat. When the potatoes are just done, drain and fold in with the veggies. Add the vinegar and lemon juice and toss gently. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley.  Serve as a warm salad or side dish.

Serves 4.

Red Snapper with Lobster Tail and a Ginger Lime Salsa Verde Butter

Our daughter and I love lobster and fish, so when she comes home from school, sometimes we go all out and treat ourselves to the best seafood we can find.  No matter what, it is way less expensive than going out to eat, and I have to have something to cook while she does her homework!
4 cups Lacinato Tuscan kale, trimmed and chopped
6 cups baby spinach
4 cups baby arugula
1 large onion, sliced
1 yellow or orange sweet bell pepper, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter

Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup salsa verde
juice of 1 lime

1-1/2 lb red snapper fillet, cut into four portions
2 lobster tails

Preheat oven to 400F. Sauté the onions and peppers in the oil and butter in a large pot. After they have softened and colored a bit, about 8-10 minutes, add the kale spinach and arugula. Toss well with tongs and cover. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, tossing often. Salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, place fish fillet portions in a baking dish and spray with a bit of canola oil. Salt and pepper fish and bake for 10 minutes, until the fish just cooks through.

While the fish cooks, get the sauce going. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and cook the garlic and ginger in the butter for about 3-4 minutes. Add the salsa and the lime, and heat through.

Set a small pot of water to boiling. Place the lobster tails in the water and cook about 3-5minutes, just until they turn red and are heated through. Remove with tongs and drain. Crack open the tails and carefully remove the meat. Slice the tail meat.

Place greens in center of four plates. Place a portion of fish on top of the greens and then evenly distribute the lobster tail meat on top of the fish. Top with a few spoons of the ginger lime salsa.

Serves 4.

Chicken Tarragon Dijon Roasted with Olives Garlic and Potatoes

Here is yet another variation of Chicken Dijon, here paired with tarragon.  In this preparation, olives and potatoes baked with the chicken make an instant side - fast and easy for a weeknight dinner.
5 chicken legs & thighs
4-5 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup pitted Calamata olives
1/4 cup pitted Calvestrano olives
1/3 cup tarragon Dijon mustard (or regular)
1 Tbsp dried tarragon leaves
1 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 375F. Toss together the potatoes and garlic with the olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Layer the potatoes in a large oiled roasting pan. Place chicken legs and thighs on top of potatoes. Brush the chicken with the mustard and sprinkle with the tarragon. Salt and pepper to taste. Scatter th olives about the chicken, and pour the broth onto the potatoes in between the chicken.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Serves 4-6.

Butter Bourbon Beef

If you just have to have beef, here's an incredibly rich beef stew that has buttery depth and umami tones running throughout.
2 lb beef chuck, in 1-inch cubes
1/4 lb bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp herbes de Provence
1 12-oz bottle beer (I used an IPA)
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup English mustard
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
12 oz fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 Tbsp butter, divided
1 lb baby Parisienne carrots (frozen), or baby carrots, halved
1 cup Bourbon


Preheat oven to 375F. Heat a tablespoon canola oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Sweat the bacon in the oil until it begins to brown and render a bit, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Brown the beef in the same pot over medium-high in batches.

Don’t overcrowd, so there is plenty of airspace between the cubes, to enhance the browning. Salt and pepper only a bit, keeping in mind the rich layers of flavor to come.  Transfer beef to the bowl with the bacon.

Next, add the onions to the pot and cook them down for about 10 minutes. Add the herbs and cook another 2 minutes. Add the beer, molasses, mustard and tomato sauce and return the beef to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and place in oven. Bake for an hour.

Take a bike ride or go work out for 45 minutes. Then come back and sauté the mushrooms in a large pan over very high heat, with one tablespoon canola oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Let them release any water they want, and brown them up a bit. Transfer the mushrooms to the Dutch Oven, stir the stew gently, cover and put back in the oven.

Now sauté the carrots with the remaining butter, in the same pan you cooked the mushrooms.

Brown them up for about 10 minutes, and then transfer them to the stew.

Add the Bourbon and stir gently. Cook another 20 minutes, until the beef is completely tender and the stew is very aromatic. Adjust the liquid level to your taste with a bit of water if necessary.

Serve over noodles. Quickly-blanched broccoli would accompany this very well, and balance the rich stew’s flavor nicely.

Serves 6-8.

Cook's Note:  I used frozen baby Parisienne carrots from Trader Joe's and I tossed them into the sauté pan frozen.

They turned out nice and sweet.  I think they are great to have on hand.  If you have fresh baby carrots, you could certainly use them as well.  Just cut them in half in some decorative way, and sauté them in the same way.

I also used mixed white button mushrooms and fresh shiitake mushrooms, which have such a rich flavor.

I think shiitake stand up to the other rich flavors in this dish very well.  I find them in a local international farmer's market.

Finally, I used a good English mustard I bought at Waitrose, a fine food market in the UK.

You can use Coleman's or a Dijon - I'm sure most any mustard would work well.