Kitchenography

Best Recipes of 2008

Apparently there's something about the closing of the year that kindles a need to make lists noting events in that year. Every time I've watched a news broadcast in the last few days I've seen one of those montages of famous people who died in 2008 or a retrospective of key political moments from the year (and, yes, I am still moved to tears everytime I get to the part where Barack Obama's win is made official). I can't pick up a newspaper or magazine without finding lists of best books, best movies, worst movies, best television shows, best inventions, best fashion moments, worst fashion moments, right down to top celebrity weddings of 2008. No subject goes un-listed. 

Not to be left out, this is my third annual list of best recipe collections from newspapers and magazines. I'm always drawn to these lists because of my enduring belief that every recipe is a kind of crap shoot, you might end up with something you love, or you might end up with disappointment. It seems to me that recipes that have been vetted by food editors or the readers of food pages have a higher chance of success.

As I compiled this list I couldn't help but wonder how much longer many of these newspaper food sections will continue. If you pay any attention to the news at all you're aware that newspapers are struggling mightily to remain profitable. As newspapers have cut back, one of the major casualties have been newspaper food departments. Enjoy them while we can.

The Baltimore Sun's favorite recipes of 2008 which are headlined as being "affordable and delicious."

The Washington Post's top 10 most-viewed recipes.

Picks from the San Antonio Express-News.

Most clicked recipes from the Dallas Morning News' website

The Atlantic Journal Constitution's 2008 Golden Whisk Award winners.

The Oregonian's list of 2008's Best Recipes

2008 staff favorites from Cooking Light

Food and Wine didn't publish an end of year list of their favorite recipes, but they published several lists for the magazine's 30th anniversary this past September. There's a list of editor's favorites from the past 30 years,  30 best fast recipes, the most frequently saved recipes from Food and Wine's online archives, and recipes that were voted on by readers as their favorites. 

At this time of year, a lot of food bloggers have also taken to posting favorite recipes or posts for the year. I'm jumping on that bandwagon too, although in a small way. Instead of a top ten list, or even a top five list I'm going with just one big favorite: The Red Cat Restaurant's Quick Sauté of Zucchini with Toasted Almonds and Pecorino. It has all the earmarks of a perfect recipe: It uses a combination of ingredients that I wouldn't have come up with on my own, the three simple ingredients create a sum that is greater than its parts, it's fast, it's easy, and it's something I look forward to eating again and again. Last summer I found myself eating this for breakfast sometimes. I'm looking forward to the return of summer when I'll be able to make it again.

And here's to 2009 and success in the kitchen! Happy New Year!

Baked Clams

 

There are things that I do, or don't do, that I can't begin to explain. For instance, all my life I have avoided any recipe that required me to shuck a clam. I don't remember ever trying to shuck a clam so I'm not sure where or why I acquired the certainty that opening clams was something best left to professionals but I have been firmly of this mind set. I've always admired those guys behind the counter at a raw bar who make opening a clam look so easy however I've also believed they had a skill honed by long hours of clam shucking that the rest of the population was not likely to achieve.

But then at our last cookbook club meeting Joanne and Coralie were opening clams as casually and competently as a long-time raw bar employee. Hhhmmm, I thought to myself, why have I never learned to do this? Then Coralie made these completely delicious baked clams from a James Beard recipe which made me tell myself I was going to learn how to open clams.

So this past weekend I held my own personal clam shucking boot camp. I bought 50 little necks, studied some instructions on the web, and then began attempting to open clams myself. Initially, it did not go smoothly. I broke clam shells; I cut through the clams. Early on I broke the edge off a small utility knife I was trying to use and had to make an emergency purchase of a clam knife. Eventually, I was able to open clams.  

And with the fruits of my labors I made James Beard's baked clams. I am a huge fan of clams casino and clams oregano, but I think these are even better. Because they don't have bread crumbs they're lighter and taste more of clams than baked clams usually do. And other than getting the clams open, they're fast and simple to make.

When you're opening the clams try and keep as much of the clam liquor as possible because this adds flavor. It's traditional to bake or broil clams nestled in a bed of rock salt (or use kosher salt) to keep them steady and prevent the clams from tipping over and losing the clam liquor. I didn't bother and found the clams stayed steady enough without it.

I'm not yet at a point where I'm ready to hand out any insights on how-to open clams, but this video is excellent, and both this video and this video were helpful.

And finally, yes, I realize these are called baked clams and I'm broiling them. They can be either baked or broiled (the original recipe from the James Beard Cookbook can be seen here  -- scroll down using the scroll bar on the left hand side) and I opted to broil them. But somehow, broiled clams doesn't sound as appealing as baked clams.

Baked Clams

Adapted from the James Beard Cookbook, serves 4

24 littlenecks or cherrystones, on the half shell
Finely chopped parsley
Finely chopped shallots
Finely chopped garlic
3 or 4 slices of  bacon, cut into pieces just large enough to fit over the clams
Rock or kosher salt (optional)

1. Preheat the broiler

2. Cook the bacon until it is just slightly rendered and golden around the edges.

3. Place the clams on a shallow baking dish, or in a pie pan. If you're using it, spread rock or kosher salt in the bottom of the pan and nestle clams in it.

4. Place a pinch of parsley, shallots, and garlic on each clam. Top with a piece of bacon.

5. Run under broiler until bacon is sizzling. Serve.

Edamame

One of my vices is Baltimore's Daedelus Books which sells discounted new and remaindered books. It's amazing how many books that I've lusted over in the last few years can be found here for a fraction of their original price -- often no more than the cost of an issue of a cooking magazine. And just in case that weren't enough for me, it's also right next door to a Vietnamese restaurant. Cheap books and Vietnamese food, my idea of a perfect setup.

On my last visit there I picked up a copy of Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Good Health by Nina Simonds because this is the time of year when my thoughts turn to healthier living (a constant theme of mine -- although I notice it's never in an I'm-doing-it way but rather in an I-should-be-doing-it way). It was also the Sunday after Thanksgiving and after three days of eating heavy meals, plus pie for breakfast, the idea of a meal of greens and grains (my standard stereotype of the healthy meal) was looking suddenly appealing.

I can't say the book has inspired me but there was a recipe for boiled edamame with salt  which reminded me that this is something that seems to have fallen off my radar. I used to make it all the time but for reasons I'm unable to put my finger on, I haven't made it for ages. How did this happen?

Edamame is one of those rare instances of a snack food that is as appealing as potato chips but actually turns out to have nutritional value -- a fairly rare occurrence in my experience.

It's possible to buy fresh edamame in the summer -- I sometimes see it at the farmers' market -- but frozen edamame in the pod is always available. The only trick to cooking these as far as I've found is to make sure you're using an adequate amount of salt. Edamame without the salt doesn't hold much appeal. I salt the water I'm cooking them in and then sprinkle coarsely ground sea salt over them. It may seem like an excessive amount of salt but the majority of it is not coming into direct contact with the beans, only the pods. I should note that Nina Simonds' recipe uses a teaspoon of salt in the water, and only a teaspoon of salt after they've been drained. I don't think that's enough but if you're hesitant about the amount of salt, you might start there.

For 1 pound of edamame, frozen and in the pod, bring water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt, then the edamame and cook for four to five minutes. Drain the edamame, then dump them on a kitchen towel and blot them dry. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground sea salt and serve. And in the event you've never had edamame before, eat them with your fingers, popping the beans out of the pod and directly into your mouth. (It's good to have a second bowl to toss the empty pods in.)

Couldn't  be easier and they really are good. Just the sort of thing I need to keep in mind for the eating season we're right in the midst of.