Block Party New England Clam Chowder

Every year our neighborhood has a small informal block party in late September.    Some people in our town have block parties with all the bells and whistles, but what I love about ours is the simplicity.  We close off the street to traffic and everyone has a job to do and each family is charged $15 for hamburgers, hot dogs and paper products.  Each family must bring either an appetizer, salad or dessert, their beverage, and a chair.  This gives little stress to any one person. For dessert we light a fire pit in the street and children toast Smores.  What this get-together is all about is neighbors taking the time to actually sit for a few hours and get to know each better and catch up on our busy lives.

My annual contribution to this event has become a large pot of New England Clam Chowder.  I have a basic recipe that gets tweaked every year.  I use fresh chopped clams from my fish market and canned clam juice making this a manageable recipe.   Since I just came back from a long weekend on Cape Cod where I ordered clam chowder with every meal, I am excited to share this with you.

Block Party New England Clam Chowder 

Makes 5 quarts

1 1/2 pints of fresh chopped clams

2 1/2 cups of heavy cream

2 1/2 quarts clam juice

4 oz. salt pork, cubed 1/4 inch

4 cups of peeled Yukon gold potatoes cubed 1/4 inch

1/2 cup flour

2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped celery

1 bunch of fresh thyme tied with a string

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon salt or to taste.  

2 tablespoons onion power

1 teaspoon ground celery seed 

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

In a large stock pot cook cubed salt pork until crispy.  Discard salt pork and add celery, onions and cook over medium low heat until soft (5 minutes).   Add 1/2 cup of flour and cook over low heat for 5 minutes stirring to coat vegetables.  Add 2 1/2 quarts of clam juice, salt, pepper, onion powder, ground celery seed and bunch of thyme.  Bring this highly seasoned broth to a boil stirring to combine.  Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes over low heat until potatoes are tender. Remove tied thyme.  Stir in 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 1 1/2 cups of fresh chopped clams.  Cook chowder over low heat for 5 minutes until warm.  Do not over cook chowder at this point.  Stir in fresh chopped parsley and serve with oyster crackers.  

Pulled Pork Tostado

Ok, not everyone has a container of homemade pulled pork in their freezer.  The last time I made pulled pork for a crowd, I made 18 lbs. of pork and put away a container for pulled pork nachos.   Tonight I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner and remembered the hidden container.  Since pulled pork nachos is is not an acceptable dinner, I created a pulled pork tostada.  All the ingredients were piled high on a toasted whole wheat flatbread beginning with arugula, a corn salsa with tomatoes from the garden, pulled pork (see link to recipe below), bbq sauce, more salsa, goat cheese and avocado slices.  Oh my, the husband was quite surprised.  Yes, this was a simple weeknight dinner that came together quickly because of my hidden container, but the tangy pulled pork, creaminess of the cheese and avocado, and brightness of the fresh salsa made this tostada a winner.  

Pulled Pork Tostada

2 cups of pulled pork

1 cup of arugula

1/4 cup goat cheese, broken into pieces

3 whole wheat flatbreads

1/2 sliced avocado

1 cup of tomatoes, I used a mixture of grape and chopped whole

1 fresh cob of corn, kernels cut from cob

Juice from 1/2 of lime

1 tsp. of olive oil

1 tablespoon of chopped red onion

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Make the salsa by chopping grape tomatoes into quarters and regular tomatoes into the same size pieces, add fresh corn kernels, red onion, lime juice, olive oil, S&P.  Set aside. Toast the flatbreads in a non-stick pan over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, place the 3 toasted flatbreads on a sheet pan, divide the arugula, 1/2 the salsa, pulled pork, bbq sauce, remaining salsa, goat cheese between the three flatbreads.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and add the avocado slices to the top and serve.  The easiest way to eat this tostada is with a knife and fork.

Serves 2-3

NYC Meat Packing District

This photo was taken in NYC with my iPhone. I tweaked it with Instagram and love it's surreal feeling.  Enjoy your weekend.

Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup

When planning my garden this spring, I took into consideration my vacation in late July.  My friends and neighbors love it when everything peaks while I'm away, but by planting a little later I get to reap the bounty and also share with everyone.  The garden did very well this year with just the right amount of sun, rain and an extra 4 feet of fencing to keep the deer out.   Since Scarlett my Golden passed, she no longer protects the yard from deer and other salad seeking critters.

This recipe includes pickling cucumbers which are by far my favorite cucumber.  They are not just for pickling, their flavor, small seeds, and crispness make them perfect for salads and soups.  Today I used them in a chilled avocado cucumber soup.  This chilled soup was delicious and perfect for an August lunch. Do not forget the garnish...it adds the perfect crunch to this soup.

Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup

2 pickling cucumbers (or cucumber of your choice), peeled and cut into chunks, dice 1 tablespoon for garnish.

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks, a few thin slices for garnish

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup dill - chopped - save some for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped and seeded poblano pepper (or hot pepper of your choice) 

1 cup of greek yogurt 0%

1 cup ice water

2 tsp of salt (or to taste)

1/4 tsp black pepper

In the food processor pulse cucumbers, avocado, lemon zest and juice, dill, and poblano pepper until blended.  Add yogurt, water and blend until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and blend again.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Garnish with finely chopped cucumber and dill, a small thin slice of avocado and a half of grape tomato sliced.   

Block Island, RI

These are a few of my favorite pictures taken on hikes on Block Island.  I must warn you that it's not the place to go... beaches are rocky, water is cold, and it's hard to get to.  That's what we tell everyone so it remains the unspoiled paradise we love.

Corn and Zucchini Pancakes with Yogurt Sauce

Today the corn and tomatoes at the Farmer's Market were perfect, which isn't unusual for NJ in August.  I had already picked the perfect zucchini from my garden at lunch and was thinking about corn and zucchini pancakes to go along with fresh tomatoes with pesto and grilled chicken.  The simple batter came together quickly with ingredients I had on hand and adding a little lemon zest gave the pancake a bright flavor along with the tangy yogurt sauce.  These savory pancakes were truly the star of my summer dinner.  

Corn and Zucchini Pancakes with Yogurt Sauce - Makes 8 pancakes

Pancake Batter

1 medium zucchini - grated on a large hole grater
1 fresh ear of corn - kernels cut from cob
1 tablespoon red onion grated
1 small clove of garlic minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon ground corn meal
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon of julienned basil
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest
Salt & pepper

Mix first seven ingredients together with a spatular in a bowl.  Stir in flour and corn meal until blended. Add chives, basil, lemon zest and salt and pepper.  Let batter sit for a few minutes.  Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat over a medium flame.  Pour 2 tablespoons of batter into pan and flatten tops with a spatular.  Cook for two minutes and flip pancakes, cook for two more minutes or until batter is cooked through.  They should be lightly browned on each side.  Keep pancakes warm in a 200 degree oven and repeat by spraying pan and cooking the rest of the batter.

Sauce

1/4 cup low fat greek yogurt
1 tablespoon low fat mayo
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon of sugar

Mix all ingredients together and chill until ready to serve.

Skimboard Boy

I'm back from a two week beach vacation with no internet...and I survived.  I'm rested and took a ton of  pictures on our daily two hour hikes around the island.  Thought I would get more painting done, but the first week we shared the island with 20 family members.  The second week my husband and I enjoyed the quiet doing what we both love, hiking, beach, lovely dinners and sunsets.  This is an 8X8 oil on Gessobord.