Linguine with spicy red clam sauce

So Jereme and I were discussing my "blog-worthy" recipes, and it turns out most of them are Italian dishes.  Go figure.  We moved to Cape Cod about a month ago and while quality beef is lacking here, there is an abundance of incredibly fresh seafood. He asked me to make him linguine with clam sauce, which turned into "how to use random stuff in your fridge".  Very easy, company-quality, and ready in 15 minutes.  Enjoy!

Linguine with spicy red clam sauce
1 package fresh linguine (we used Bertoli)
1 lb fresh littleneck clams, in shell
1/2 large red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 pickled hot cherry peppers, chopped
4-5 tomatoes on the vine, chopped with juices saved
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes ( to taste - a little goes a long way!)
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp oregano

Cook pasta according to directions

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add red peppers and cook until soft and beginning to blacken,  about 3 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook until tender and shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, wine, lemon juice, pepper flakes, hot peppers, rosemary, and oregano; simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.  Add clams and cover; steam until clams open over low heat, about 5 minutes.  Discard any unopened clams, stir in parsley and serve over pasta.  Serve with Italian bread, and enjoy!

Alabama Style White Barbeque Sauce with Fresh Rosemary

If you have never tried a “white” BBQ sauce, you haven’t lived yet!  Leave it to the South to mix mayo and vinegar, and cook with it!  This sauce was AMAZING on chicken – and on the leftover pork loin we had the next day.  Simply scrumptious – and simple too!   I originally served it over grilled chicken breasts that I pounded out a bit to thin them down, and simply seasoned with Salt and Pepper.  I brushed some of the sauce on for the last 5 minutes of cooking or so – it will curdle if you put it on from the start….. and I used the rest for a dipping sauce.

 No pics – but hey, it’s a SAUCE for goodness sakes!

Ingredients:

2 cups Mayo

1 cup Cider Vinegar

2 TBS Lemon Juice

3 TBS fresh ground pepper (sorry about that – your arm will be sore…)

½ TSP Salt

½ TSP Cayenne

2 TSP finely minced FRESH Rosemary – more or less to taste.

I clove garlic, finely minced

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk thoroughly.   I threw mine in my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, and used the whisk attachment on med low for about 15 minutes to really combine things.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours

Brush on the chicken during the final cooking process – about 8 minutes or so, reserving the rest of the sauce to use as a dipping sauce.

Flank Steak Italiano

This is a REALLY simple recipe, and you can interchange the ingredients with a variety of things.  For me, the combination of the roasted peppers, prosciutto, and the provolone cheese melting as the meat cooks was just sublime!  I used toothpicks to hold the roll together, it would be MUCH easier to tie it off every 2 inches or so with cotton cooks twine.

Ingredients:

About 1 lb of flank steak

1 package thin sliced prosciutto

About 4 slices jarred roasted red peppers

4 or 5 slices thick cut provolone cheese

Several leaves of  fresh basil
Handful of spinach leaves

Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Directions:

Lay the flank steak out on a large piece of waxed paper, and fold it over to cover completely.  Hammer steak out with a meat mallet, till it is about ½ inch thick.  Lay out on a plate.

Season with fresh kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and just a sprinkling of garlic powder ( a little of this goes a LONG way)

Lay Prosciutto strips out so entire steak is covered, lay red peppers so entire steak is covered, spread Basil and spinach leaves over peppers, and finally cover all of it with slices of cheese.

Roll the steak as tight as you can, pin closed with toothpics.  Tie with cotton butchers twine every two inches or so, to keep steak rolled up. Remove toothpicks.

Grill over med – med/high heat for about 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so to brown all 4 sides.  Cooking times vary by grill, so use a meat thermometer to be sure it is done – should be about 150 or 160 degrees for medium.

Serve sliced about ¾ of an inch thick, with grilled veggies and a salad….. a simple, awesome summer meal!