Hello my Foodie Friends. I love to tell this story this time of year especially now since our son Johnny just celebrated his 26th birthday this past week. 

This winter season has certainly been a tough one.  The New England coast has been getting hit hard with multiple large snow storms along with the big one we just experienced.  Our son Johnny lives in Boston and our daughter Aubrey goes to school in the Boston area.  Each time the coast receives a large storm or blizzard we speak with Johnny who then tells us of dealing with the shut down of public transportation issues and “where do you put all of this snow” concerns that Boston deals with.  As our conversations progress; we begin talking about our summer experiences on the coast of Rhode Island and dreaming about warmer months on the water.  Prior to moving to Upstate New York, we lived on the coast of Connecticut.  Our good neighbors and friends, Ron and Deede, owned a fifty foot “boat” named “The Graduate” that they docked in West Greenwich Rhode Island in Narragansett Bay.  Weekend excursions included boating to Newport Rhode Island or just hanging out on the boat.  Ron is a master captain in boating he also comes from a military background in the Navy. He is also a master chef !! He was always very proud driving “The Graduate”and serving his crew incredible seafood dishes.  Ahh…what fabulous memories of our rides. Our children were very young at the time of most of our adventures.  There was one very special time when Ron allowed three year old Johnny to take the helm and to sit in Ron’s chair to drive the boat. Johnny sat proudly with a very determined look in Ron’s captain’s chair, holding firmly onto the boats’ steering wheel and exclaimed “big boy driving the boat!” It was precious.  Each summer that we were able to join Ron and Deede on “The Graduate”, Ron would allow Johnny to take the helm and be the “big boy driving the boat”.  These are among the special memories of being on the water, with amazing friends, breathing in the sea air and feeling it on your skin.  With boating brought the feasting on spectacular seafood meals made by Ron and Deede.  Clams and oysters were one of Ron’s favorite seafood items to create delightful dishes with.  Special tools that Ron would use included a clam and oyster knife and a cut proof glove.  The clam knife was important for proper shucking of the clams. Once you learn the basics, shucking clams and oysters is not difficult. Practice makes perfect and the reward is delicious. It all starts in the preparation.

1. Make sure the clams you’re going to be shucking are alive. A clam shell that is open or opens easily by hand is dead. Throw away any open clams.

2. Clean your clams using a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any sand and salt.

3. You may skip this step, but soaking your clams will flush through any sand they may have inside. Use 1/3 of a cup of       salt per gallon of cold water. Stir the salt until it dissolves. Soak the clams for 30-45 minutes then drain.

4. Either refrigerate your clams for at least an hour or pack them in ice for 30 minutes. This puts them to sleep and makes it easier for you to open them. I prefer the ice method.

5. Make sure you have a towel and a clam knife.Dexter S129 clam knife

Here is a fantastic Clam and Oyster Chowder recipe that is delicious anytime of year. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

• 1 cup water

• 40 small (2-inch) hard-shelled clams (4 pounds) such as littlenecks, scrubbed well

• 30 medium or large oysters, shucked and liquor reserved

• 3 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 5 celery ribs, cut into 1/3-inch dice

• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

• 2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes (4 medium)

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 2 1/2 cups bottled clam juice or water

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION

1. Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.

2. Bring 1 cup fresh water to a boil in a 5-quart heavy pot, then add clams and cook over moderately high heat, covered, until clams are fully open, checking every minute after 5 minutes and transferring clams with a slotted spoon to a bowl as they fully open. (Discard any clams that have not opened after 8 minutes.) Pour cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl.

3. Remove cooked clams from shells, discarding shells. Coarsely chop clams and transfer to a bowl, then coarsely chop raw oysters and transfer to another bowl. Pour reserved oyster liquor through sieve into bowl with clam cooking liquid.

4. Cook bacon in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, about 6 minutes, then transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add butter to pot and when foam subsides, cook onion, leeks, celery, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 12 to 15 minutes.

5. While vegetables are cooking, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Add wine to softened vegetables and boil until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add potatoes, clam cooking liquid, and bottled clam juice. (If potatoes aren’t fully covered with liquid, add more clam juice or water.) Simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Purée 2 cups soup in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pot. Add cream, salt, pepper, Old Bay, and cayenne and cook at a bare simmer, stirring, until soup is heated through (do not let boil). Add clams and oysters and cook, stirring, just until oyster pieces begin to curl, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf, then stir in parsley. Serve topped with crumbled bacon.

Another great item to have when serving a seafood dish is a lemon stretchy that is a lemon wedge straining cover. This fine mesh cotton tool helps to keep seeds out of your food.  You simply cut the lemon, stretch the elastic open and place the wrap over the cut end.  

Getting through these winter months can be challenging. Now that it is officially Spring, we can start dreaming of the ocean and warmer temps. We can’t help but smile at the priceless memories we had with Ron and Deede on “The Graduate” and our big boy driving the boat!!  We have lots of tools for your seafood creations at Compliments to the Chef located at 46 Marion Avenue Saratoga Springs.  

Stay safe and warm, and keep dreaming of the warmer days ahead. In the meantime, make some seafood meals to remind you of the ocean and those precious memories you have made with friends and family. In my mind I am dreaming of being the “big boy driving the boat”! Remember, “Life Happens in the Kitchen” with good times, friends, and great food.  Take care. John and Paula