Bagels and Lox

Happy Saturday Party People! Woo, am I glad that holiday is over...and I'm glad that I am not hungover this morning and so am able to fully enjoy my bagel and lox!

Thanksgiving was a blast, but I drank too much and urgh...yesterday was a long painful day, most of which was spent sleeping. Except for the parts that were MORE entertaining and eating. For Che's birthday lunch we had all of the thanksgiving leftovers wrapped up in tortillas and cooked enchilada style in gravy with leftover fennel and orange salad. Delicious, but not light.

Dinner was

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS

for 4

3/4 box linguine
3 bags of clams
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 1/2 c water
1 1/2 c white wine
5 cloves garlic, smushed
olive oil
4 T butter
red pepper flakes to tasted (optional)

to finish:

a handful of parsley, a few lemon slices, 2 cloves garlic chopped together, this is gremolata, except for the fact that you've used lemon slices instead of just the zest.

to begin:

Start the pasta water. While it is coming to a boil rinse the clams. A trick for ensuring that you will have no sand is too scrub them, and then immerse them into a warm salt bath and leave them for a half hour or so. Lift them out and rinse again, leaving the sand behind. This is one of Dana's Italian Tricks.

If you're going to soak the clams, wait to start the pasta water!

melt butter in olive oil in a saucepan big enough to hold the clams. After the butter foams add the smushed garlic cook and let cook slowly. The garlic can turn golden, but not brown as that will cause it to become bitter. After the garlic is soft and has begun to color add the liquids and red pepper flakes, if using. Let simmer for 15 minutes, this allows the alcohol to cook off and makes a rich broth. Add the clams and cover, the ones that are not covered by the liquid will steam open.

Add the pasta to the water after it reaches a rolling boil - about the same time you add the clams. You may or may not add salt to the water. Salting the water does give the noodles a nice depth of flavor to the finished product.

Cook the pasta til al dente, if done before the clams toss it with a little oil and set aside.

When the clams have opened, remove from heat and toss with gremolata. Then distribute pasta between 4 bowls.

Remove any clams that have not opened and discard. Distribute clams among the 4 bowls, discarding empty shells and fishing out the escaped clams with a slotted spoon. Pour broth over clams and noodles.

Serve with bread and salad. Pass red pepper flakes on the side. Cheese is generally not passed with fish pastas.

Eat up, drink some white wine and go off the theater like grown ups!

Except you arrive after the play has started and are horribly embarrassed in front of occasional co-worker who works with the theater. And you had no idea.

Come home, eat turkey sandwiches with dijon mustard and cranberry mayo, drink apple cider and go to bed.


AHHHHHHHHHHH.

Wake up, refreshed and have bagels and lox!

Hope your thanksgiving was as swell and chaotic as mine!