Wanders off singing softly;
Surrounded by acres of clams, of clams. Surrounded by acres of clams…
The Challenger Presents
I present to you, my esteemed judges, 6 dishes.
Clams Rockefeller
A simple, yet rich appetizer of Cherrystone clams broiled on the half-shell with spinach, garlic, cream, and Gruyere cheese; a humbler cousin of Oysters Rockefeller, and homier.
Cioppino
Famous in the Bay Area, this Italian-style seafood stew is hearty and delicious, with a mixture of clams, lobster, crab, mussels, tomato, garlic, basil, and white wine; it’s served with a piece of buttery, toasted baguette.
Pan-Fried Clams with Pernod Sauce, served on Wilted Greens
These clams are pan-fried in olive oil, served upon a bed of just-barely-wilted swiss chard, and drizzled with a rich Pernod pan sauce, redolent of shallots and thyme.
Clams Hearth-Roasted with pine needles, served with Pine Nut Sauce and Roasted New Potatoes
Roasted in a hearth oven, pine needles are added to the fire for the last few minutes of baking, to add a gentle smokiness to the clams. They are served with roasted new potatoes tossed in rosemary-infused olive oil and a creamy pine nut, basil, and parsley sauce.
Tesoros del Mar Paella (“Treasures of the Sea”)
This traditional Spanish dish is full of clams, calamari, baby octopus, and shrimp, served on a bed of aromatic rice seasoned with saffron, onions, garlic, tomatoes, thyme and rosemary.
Tiny Pearl Trio of Sorbets
Hidden within three carefully cleaned clamshells rest a scoop of sorbet, each a delight of flavor—champagne orange, tequila lime, and pineapple rum. [sub] Did you think I was going to make clam-love-juice-ice-cream or something? No, can’t do it. Just can’t. That’s just going waaaay past my personal beliefs.[/sub]
There you have it. I will post recipes later.
I’m not attempting to present a start-to-finish meal here, my intent is to show the variety of dishes that can be prepared with the delectible clam.
Raw Clams with Condiments
To allow the judges to experience the essential goodness of clams, I start with a dish that requires no cooking at all:
You’ve heard of raw oysters? Raw clams are better: sweeter and without the kind of sliminess of raw oysters.
This dish features 5 raw cherrystone clams per person. They’ve been opened for the Judges, the liquor still inside the shell. Served with them are small serving dishes of condiments, for the taking. The variety will allow a wide range of tastes and sensations and will give the Judges the fun of experimenting, and each condiment has been carefully chosen to enhance, rather than overwhelm the subtle goodness of the clam. Despite that I caution the judges: at least one should be sampled plain so that you can understand the nuances of the clam’s subtle flavor!
The condiments are:
Minced onion,
Minced roasted garlic
Fresh grated horseradish
Lemon slices for squeezing,
Home-made cocktail sauce
Home-made oriental drizzle
Homemade Cocktail sauce
1/2 cup prepared chili sauce
5 TBL grated horseradish
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
5 grinds of black pepper
Chuck everything into a food processor and chop until almost smooth (it should have some texture left
Homemade Oriental drizzle
1 scallion, minced
1 TBL toasted sesame seeds
3 TBL mirin
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1 tsp sugar
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 orange
Sesame oil to taste
Mix all ingredients together, adding sesame oil in small dashes to taste (don’t overdo it on the oil!)
The second dish is Warm Mexican Clam Dip. Served in individual rammekins, this clam, green-chili and cheese dip is a delight to the nose and eyes, the heat of the green-chili accenting the clams perfectly. Fried tortillas are provided for dipping.
Fried tortillas:
Cut both corn and flour tortillas into wedges just like you would with a pizza. Gently slide them into heated oil, about 350[sup]o[/sup] and fry 'till crispy. Drain on a rack, NOT on paper towels, or they’ll be greasy.
Mexican Clam Dip
Green Chili
1 lb of tomatillos
2 serrano chilies
3 jalapeno chiles
3 anaheim chilies
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp crushed, dried chipoltle chilies
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp vinegar
3 TBL fresh lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro
Peel the tomatillos and wash off the yukky white goo. Drop them into a pot of boiling water for just a minute or two until they start to split. Toss them into a food processor.
Roast the chilies: put them on a very lightly greased cookie sheet and spritz them with oil/cooking spray. Put 'em under the broiler until they turn black. Turn 'em over several times until blackend all over. Once done (the smaller ones 'll finish first) toss them into a paper bag and let cool. Peel them, but do not wash! It’s better to get a little charred stuff than to wash off all the good flavor (also, use safe handling proceedures for the chilies!) Seed and toss into the food processor. In a teflon skillet, toast the spices stirring constantly and watching closely! (the second you can smell the toasty cumin smell, it’s done!) Toss spices and all remaining ingredients into food processor. Chop until roughly blended. Put into a crockpot and let cook for at least four hours!
Warm Green Chili Clam Dip:
1 Cup Green Chili, heated
5 TBL clam juice/liquor
1/2 cup roughly chopped clams
2/3ds Cup Queso Blanco cheese (Montery Jack if not available)
Dash Paprika
Put 1 cup of heated green chili into a rammekin. Add 5 TBL of clam juice/liquor and 1/2 cup of roughly chopped clams. Add a 2/3ds of a cup of grated queso blanco cheese, stirring until melted. If necessary, put the rammekins in a hot water bath to help melt the cheese. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and serve warm
The third dish is Clams Vanderbilt (like Rockerfeller, only richer!). Each person gets three of these tempting delights, broiled and served in skillets, nestled in a bed of rock-salt to keep them toasty hot!
Clams Vanderbilt
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
3 stalks of celery chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 TBLS butter
2 TBLS parmesean cheese
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/6 cup salt pork, chopped, fried crispy and well-drained. Pancetta would work too, or even bacon, in a pinch.
cayenne pepper
2 tsp absinthe (since you won’t have access to Chairman Scylla’s liquor cabinet, herbsaint can be substitued
Melt butter and sweat celery and scallions. Add parsley and spinach, cook for a minute or two more. Add breadcrumbs and stir well. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix everything together until you have a stuffing-like mixture. Open 3 topneck clams per person. Get a skillet and fill with kosher salt. Nestle the clams into the salt, making sure that no salt gets into the clams! Put about 2 TBL of the stuffing on each clam and bake at 400 for about 4-4 minutes. Serve piping hot.
Unlike Chairman Scylla, I’m not lucky enough to have no fond childhood memories of raking clams. In fact, I’ve been to a beach maybe twice in my life. Despite that, I have a love of seafood made fonder by the scarcity of the good stuffAs a lad, my sole experience with clams was limited to Howard Johnson’s. As a tribute to those fond memories, I present my take on the classic Fried Clams, on a bright orange plate, of course:
Fried Clams, Not-Really HoJo style (without the deadly HoJo subliminals of course! )
2 cups of shucked steamer clams
2 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
1-2 dashes hot sauce (I like Frank’s)
dash cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 cup corn meal
1 tsp salt
Oil for frying
Mix liquid ingredients. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Dunk the clams in the liquid, dredge them in the dry mix and fry at 350 until golden. Drain well and serve with cocktail sauce and lemon slices. For a whimsical Howard Johnson’s touch, a large sprig of parsley should be placed on top of the cocktail Sauce.
Finally, my last dish, Clam Scampi. Redolent of garlic and lemon, this sophisticated dish
will remind the judges that despite the sometimes frivolous touch presented earlier, there are depths to the clams.
1 cup dry white wine
1 large onion, chopped
10 (yes 10) cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 stick of butter
1 cup freshly chopped chowder clams (keep the liquid!)
3 tsp each chopped, fresh basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary
Cooked fettucini
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
Parmesean cheese for grating.
Saute the onion in the butter. Add the garlic and cook until garlic just starts to change color. Add herbs. Cook for a minute and add the clams. Cook until clams start to become opaque. Add the reserved clam-liquid and wine. Bring to a boil and serve over fettucini with a grating of Parmesean cheese.
I bow to the judges, to my esteemed opponent and to Chairman Scylla.
Fenris
Clams Rockefeller
8 servings
1 garlic clove
1 cup loosely packed fresh spinach
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Pernod
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
Salt & white pepper, to taste
1 pound (about) rock salt
24 fresh clams, shucked, shells reserved
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Finely chop garlic in processor. Add spinach and green onions to garlic. Process, using on/off turns, until mixture is finely chopped. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.
Combine cream, breadcrumbs, Pernod, and hot sauce in processor. Process until well blended. Return spinach mixture to processor. Process, using on/off turns, just until mixtures are blended. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
Spread rock salt onto sheet pan, ½” thick. Set clams in half-shells into salt, top each with a spoonful of spinach mixture, sprinkle with cheese, and broil in oven until hot, bubbly, and brown.
Cioppino
8 servings
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. Thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp. Oregano, finely chopped
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups white wine
24 steamer clams, scrubbed
12 mussels, beards removed
2 ea. 1 ½ lb. Lobsters
2 lbs. Crab legs & claws
1 quart fish stock
8 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cup of basil leaves, chiffonade cut
Salt & pepper to taste
1 baguette
Sweat onions, garlic, thyme and oregano in olive oil. Add the wine, clams and mussels and steam the bivalves open. Reserve mussels and clams, and leave cooking liquid in pot.
Steam lobsters and crab legs & claws in cooking liquid for about 7 minutes. Remove meat from shells and cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise.
Chop up the lobster shells and add to the cooking liquid. Add stock and simmer for 25 minutes. Strain with cheesecloth, return to pot, add tomatoes, and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Return clams, mussels, lobster and crab back to simmering liquid and reheat. Adjust seasonings, add basil, and serve with sliced toasted baguette.
Pan-Fried Clams with Pernod Sauce, served on Wilted Greens
8 servings
Olive oil, as needed
36 fresh clams, shucked
Salt & pepper
2 shallots, minced
1 cup Pernod
juice of 2 lemons
2 sprigs thyme
½ cup cream
½ lb. Butter
Salt & white pepper
12 cups roughly chopped swiss chard
On a medium heat, heat olive oil and add clams, searing them on both sides and cook thoroughly. Remove from pan and reserve.
Drain olive oil except for about 1 tablespoon’s worth. Add shallots and sweat gently. Add Pernod, flambé and reduce until alcohol is fully cooked off. Add lemon juice, thyme, and cream, and reduce slightly. Strain and return to pan. Add butter in small pieces to emulsify. Hold warm until service.
In a large pot, heat about ¼ cup of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add chard and toss until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
On plate, mound wilted greens in center. Top with clams, and drizzle pan sauce over clams and greens.
Clams Hearth-Roasted with pine needles, served with Pine Nut Sauce and Roasted New Potatoes
8 servings
48 Geoduck Clams, cleaned and in their shells
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups pine nuts
½ cup cream
2 T. fine vodka
½ cup fresh basil
½ cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & white pepper
2 lbs. New potatoes
Rosemary-infused olive oil* as needed
Salt & Pepper
Heat hearth oven. Place clams in an ovenproof pan. Place in oven, and after roasting for about 5 minutes, add pine needles to fire, close oven door, and let smoke until clams are open.
In saucepan, heat olive oil and gently toast pine nuts. Add to food processor, and add cream, vodka, basil, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and blend until smooth.
Roast potatoes in oven until tender, just before service lightly toss with rosemary olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve clams by spooning a bit of sauce into each shell, and arrange with potatoes.
*For rosemary olive oil, Take about a 6” branch of rosemary and let sit in about 2 cups of olive oil in a warm spot in the kitchen for about 2 weeks (preferably in a glass bottle).
Tesoros del Mar Paella (“Treasures of the Sea”)
This traditional Spanish dish is full of clams, calamari, baby octopus, and shrimp, served on a bed of aromatic rice seasoned with saffron, onions, garlic, tomatoes, thyme and rosemary.
24 clams
1 # calamari, cleaned and sliced into rings
1 # baby octopus
1 # 18-20 ct. shrimp, deveined and peeled
¼ cup olive oil
2 onions
6 cloves of garlic, minced, plus one whole head of garlic with top cut off to expose cloves
2 large tomatoes
3 cups long grain rice
6 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade, or no-salt)
Pinch saffron (about 15 threads)
6 branches thyme
2 branches rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
Lemon wedges for service
Special Equipment: large paella pan.
*this is best done on a grill, unless you have a stove that can hold a large paella pan and get an even heat.
In a separate saucepan, heat chicken stock to simmer, and add saffron. Keep at low simmer until ready for use.
Using a box grater, shred onions and tomatoes, discarding tomato skins. Heat olive oil in pan, and add onions, minced garlic, and tomatoes, cooking through until the ‘tomato water’ has been cooked off. Add rice and toss thoroughly to distribute sofrito. Add simmering chicken stock, and bring to a boil.
Place head of garlic in center of pan, and add branches of thyme and rosemary. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add all seafood atop rice & stock, and wrap tightly with foil. Let finish on grill (or put into 350 degree oven) for about 20 minutes, until clams are open and rice is al dente. Remove branches of thyme and rosemary, and serve with lemon wedges.
Tiny Pearl Trio of Sorbets
Champagne Orange Sorbet
1 cup simple syrup*, infused with 1 T. fresh orange zest
1 T. corn syrup
½ cup champagne
½ cup fresh orange juice
Combine ingredients, strain, and freeze per instructions for ice cream maker.
Tequila Lime Sorbet
1 cup simple syrup, infused with 1 T. fresh lime zest
1 cup tequila
½ cup lime juice
In saucepan, heat tequila and reduce by half, boiling off alcohol. Add to simple syrup and lime juice. Strain and freeze in ice cream maker.
Pineapple Rum Sorbet
1 cup simple syrup
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup rum
In saucepan, reduce rum by half, burning off alcohol. In separate saucepan, reduce pineapple juice by half. Add both to simple syrup and freeze in ice cream maker.
Serve in scrubbed shells, using small 1 oz. Scoops.
Judges comments:
:giggle giggle: (gotta get that out of the way)
Java Very nice versatility - differing methods of preparation, along with variety of side accompanyments (tho’ we do note the similarity 'tween the greens - it’s ok we like greens) The Clams Rockerfeller - an inspired beginning.
My note about serving in the shells - In general, ok to do this once. I put this up there with the bread-as-a-bowl thing - it has a nice look, but on a practical level (except for the pallea type dish and heavenly crab), I’d really rather have the shells removed thanks)> This will not be a major deduction in this case, tho.
The stew sounds wonderful, tho, with a wonderful assortment of spices.
and, again, a nice change up with the pan fried clams. IT was the Roasted clams tho that really intrigued me. again, the combination of hints of flavor (rosemary infused oil, the pine needles in the fire), these sorts of touches are the hallmark of inspired cooking.
I feel the Treasures of the Sea dish would be beautiful to behold, and the best (read almost only) time to really use the shells as part of the presentation. While the dessert cannot be added to the scores, it did serve as a wonderful balance to the presentation.
::muted clapping from the gloved hands ::
Iron Chef Fenris
I’m a sushi fan, so raw seafood doesn’t scare me. I will take your word that clams can be safely eaten raw, and will proceed.
Interesting choice of condiments, I approve of this - good accompanyment.
love the clam dips - tastey, and a welcome change of pace from the opening dish. The clams vanderbilt, well that’s a winner to me. (am I wrong to wonder why no garlic here?)
I was ready to dislike the fried clams (have bad memories of Ho-jos), but the addition of the hot sauce and cayene pepper bring this dish out of mediocracy.
]
and here’s the garlic finally - in the scampi.
Did a wonderful job in variety, methods of preparation, and accompanying flavors. (tho’ if you really wanted the true ho-jo effect, the ‘tell’ for that is presenting the dish in either a carboard carton or a plastic mesh basket).
Scores have been sent, will happily retreat to my own kitchen to prepare some of these (with something I’d like better than clams, tho’… )
:: giggle giggle ::
I’m humbled to present my reasoning to one of the judges!
My theory was bacon + cheese + clams + wine + garlic = a clash of flavors, plus a bit of too much of a good thing.
Also, I’m not entirely certain that garlic + absinthe works for me.
Fenris
If I may shout out from the balcony, actually, wring, I think this would qualify. I remember once on the show the theme ingredient was some sort of fish, and the Iron chef took the fins and dipped them in sugar and used them for a garnish, and it was deemed judgable.
sure, now he tells me. Well, it wouldn’t have changed my scores.
Giggle.
Giggle.
(damn these satin ballgowns always riding up in the back)
And the clam battle is over.
Now judges, let’s be sure and do at least as good a job as our Chef’s who were timely and efficient in posting their recipes.
Remember, you have until 10PM EST Tuesday, but the sooner the better.
Comments:
JavaMaven1’s recipes struck me as more traditional and sophisticated, which is usually a good thing. All of the dishes seem to be delicate balances of flavours. In particular, the hearth roasted clams and paella appeal, although I’d be happier if the clams were the focus of the latter recipe, rather than just one of the fruta del mar. Similarly, the cioppino doesn’t feature clams over the other seafoods. Luckily, paella happens to be one of my favourite dishes, and this one sounds wonderful. The sorbet is probably the ideal finish to the meal, but serving dessert on clam shells, regardless of how well cleaned they are, detracts a bit. Probably just a prejudice of mine (inspired, no doubt, by a horrible mussel shell accident).
Iron Chef Fenris has chosen to buck tradition by presenting a smorgasbord of dishes rather than an organized meal. While this is original, it does make the judging process more difficult. The idea of raw clams left me, well, cold, but the recipes sound better than I first thought. The sesame flavoured drizzle and garlic are particularly welcome here. The Mexican clam dip doesn’t do much for me, unlike the clams Vanderbilt and elegant sounding clam scampi. The fried clams here are a daring step for the Iron Chef to risk, but as my esteemed colleague wring points out, the hot sauce is a pleasant surprise that distinguishes it from greasy-spoon (or HoJo) fair.
All in all, two very worthy entries for a versatile ingredient. Scores will be on their way shortly.
My first stint as a judge presented me with a challenge. Although typically I shy away from using this wily mollusk at home, I do enjoy clams when prepared with a skilled hand. Thus I was forced to put aside my doubt and trust in the chef’s skill to lead me through the preparation, and I am a better person for it.
I would like to add a special commendation to both chefs for avoiding anything bearing the name “chowder.” Living in Connecticut, I find myself at the epicenter of the New England/Rhode Island/Manhattan Chowder debate, one which I choose not to take sides. I am pleased that the chefs did not force a ruling.
First the Challenger, JavaMaven1
I am faced with a decision. Our radiant chairman specifically banished “scallops, mussels, or oysters” from Kitchen Stadium, desiring a “pure clam battle.” Yet somehow our challenger smuggled in a wide assortment of seafood. I’m not sure whether to penalize her for violating the rules, or reward her for showing true culinary gusto and ingenuity.
Clams Rockerfeller made an impressive start. I loved the cream and spinach combination, although I might have used a touch more hot sauce (personal preference, no affect on score). I am left wondering about one thing. The challenger’s menu mentioned Gruyere, yet the recipe called out parmesan. Last minute jitters? A bold rethinking? Parmesan was probably more appropriate given the use, but a little gruyere in the filling might have been nice. The Cioppino was a classic. I was left with memories of Gloucester evenings, my appetite sated with warm comfort and good feelings. The Pan-Fried Clams were simple, yet elegant. Seared clams have always worry me. It would be far too easy to turn these succulent morsels into a rubbery mess, but our challenger pulls it off.
The Hearth-Roasted Clams required a leap of faith. Normally I abhor pignolli, perhaps I have been the victim of cooks with too heavy a hand. Reading how the clams would be smoked with them, and the sauce laden with the little buggers, I began to prejudice myself towards this dish. I am happy to report that I am a reformed judge. This very inventive dish uses to nuts to flavor, not dominate the artistic palette. I particularly enjoyed to way the pignolli played against the rosemary oil when meeting in the mouth. Tesoros del Mar Paella, for this dish alone the challenger may be forgiven the superfluous seafood. Although the clams do get a little lost in the mix, the sheer bravura in attempting this dish must be noticed.
I am torn with respect to the sorbets. True, the clamshell presentation might be considered enough to qualify. But I choose not to use this dish in my scoring. Instead, I thank the challenger for a palate cleansing finish to an excellent effort.
The Iron Chef, Fenris
The Raw Clams were an intersting selection. A nice variety of condiments, although I passed on the raw onion and horseradish so as to not corrupt the palate. I particulrly enjoyed the Oriental drizzle; unexpected, yet pleasing. The Mexican Clam Dip put me in a festive mood. I yearned for a gin and tonic and a crowd full of dopers to mingle with. Maybe that’s due to the upcoming holiday party season where I think this dip would truly stand out. I might have added a skosh of salt to the chips after frying, but that’s just me. The Clams Vanderbilt was nice. I was a little worried about the clam losing its essential clamminess among the filling, but the taste remained. I do understand the Iron Chef’s feelings about garlic in this dish, but I can’t help but feel a hint of shallot would have been welcome.
Fried Clams. What to say about this? This could have easily bombed, what with invoking the patron saint of all things bland and greasy. But given the horrors of recent times, I find myself in a retro mood, yearning for simpler times, back to the days when Howard Johnson only had one flavor. I think the biggest compliment I can pay this dish is to say they were standard fried clams (although the splash of hot sauce added a certain sassiness). Any more frittering around with the basics and you would have to call it palourdes frites. I kept wanting an (ornamental only) side of fries to complete the experience. Clam Scampi, however is what brought the Iron Chef’s experience to the forefront. It would have been so easy to Emeril this dish up and lose the focus, but Fenris knew the mantra “Garlic, Butter, Wine, and more Garlic.”. Well done.
For both chefs, I have one point to add. I sensed a lack of thought with respect to presentation in this battle. Previous battles have seen the contestants put great effort into the service plates, platters, and stemware, yet that seemed to be absent here. Was there a secretly agreed upon pact between the contestants to let the food speak for itself? In such a close battle, a few presentation points may have been enough to tip the scales. Of course maybe I am just hardened after seeing that sparkling crab debacle over the weekend.
To both challenger and Iron Chef, I say Great Job!
Scores are being tallied and will soon be on the way.
(BTW, Is there a SDMB Iron Chef Master Thread? If not, I volunteer my services to create one. It could have a post for each battle with links to the battles, a list of Iron Chef’s, challengers, judges, and Chairmen. It would list the theme ingredient and have links to the recipes. The battles would not take place in this thread, but it would be a handy reference for future battles.)
There was no collusion. For me, I was afraid I’d be pressed for time Sunday so I had to hurry a bit, plus I think it has something to do with the ingredient. I don’t know what, exactly, but if you review the previous battles, there seems to be some correlation between some ingredients and elaborate plate descriptions.
Fenris
Great idea!
One’s being done…see Teemings Cookbook. But it is a great idea! 
Fenris
Neither. Stupid Mistake. 
I had been debating on which one I should have used, and I believe that it would have been my original decision of Gruyere… but Parmesan is just as good, too.
I must say this judging thing is tough; I honestly feel bad that both chefs can’t win. An excellent job has been done by both of the chefs and the chairman.
Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for
Challenger JavaMaven1
Clams Rockefeller
A nice starter. I admit I’m not familiar with Gruyere cheese but a search on it shows a lot of recipes with a similar mix of ingredients. I’ve never met a cheese I don’t like so I’ll trust you on this one. I have an axiom about food: Anything can be made to taste better by adding cheese and/or frying.
Cioppino
I can almost smell the hearty seafood/garlic aroma coming through my monitor as I read this. I feel like I’m back at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco and a nice warm stew is just what the doctor orders to take off the chill brought on by the bay winds. A nice followup
Pan-Fried Clams with Pernod Sauce
You almost had me with this one. As I mentioned above, frying anything makes it better and I like my food like I like my wenches, i.e. saucy! Alas, I’ve never had Pernod so I had to look it up. My research showed this is an aniseed flavor. I’ve had aniseed liquors and black licorice and I’m not fond of them. Now I’m thinking of clams that taste like black licorice and can’t imagine myself enjoying this dish.
Clams Hearth-Roasted with pine needles
When I saw the title for this, my first thought was that I’d be eating a clam and then there’d be a pine needle poking the back of my throat. I’m glad to see the needles only went in the fire (Wasn’t it our illustrious Scylla who put them in a dish?). I’m a potato lover at heart and the new potatoes with rosemary/pine nut/basil/parsley sauce compliments the gentle smokiness of the clams perfectly.
Tesoros del Mar Paella
A virtual cornucopia of seafood! This sounds delectable. Onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary; JavaMaven1, you know what I like!
Tiny Trio of Sorbets
A wonderfully presented item that is perfect for cleansing the palet and putting the finish touch on a very fine meal. Well done JavaMaven!
Iron Chef Fenris
Raw Clams with Condiments
This one scares me a little. I’m harkened back to the days of my youth, sitting on the bank of the delta, shucking clams for bait and hoping the fish would bite. I guess they didn’t much care for raw clams and I’m not sure I find them appetizing either. I am intrigued by your sauces, however, particularly the Oriental Drizzle which is both aromatic and tangy. They save this dish for me.
Warm Mexican Clam Dip
Chips and dip. Now we’re talking. My eyes water in delight at the blend of peppers in this dip. I hope you made a lot because I can down me some chips and dip!
Clams Vanderbilt
These sound intriguing. Butter, parmesean cheese, wine, salt pork, scallions, cayenne pepper, and more. I can smell this and my mouth is watering. I’m worried about the absinthe though. I’m not a bitter person though, I prefer spicy or sweet. The absinthe detracts from this otherwise fine dish, in my opinion; make mine a virgin please!
Fried Clams
Fried clams belong in every seafood menu. Fenris’s is the traditional favorite with a touch of spice (I like Frank’s too - wonder if anyone’s ever made Buffalo fried clams? mmmm Buffalo Style).
Clam Scampi
Oh yeah. Work that garlic Fenris. All 10 cloves. You too know what I like! This one is delectable. The pasta and clam meat melts in the mouth. With all the garlic nobody will bother with me for the rest of the week and I like it that way; I want seconds!
An excellent presentation by both of the chefs. It’s going to be tough. Whose cuisine will rein supreme? Tune in to Chairman Scylla for the answer.
Scores mailed.
:: coughs daintily yet seductively into her gloved hand ::
Giggle.
Giggle
It’s a fairly nutty, mild Swiss (not nearly as potent as regular, full blown Swiss Cheese). It’s usually one of the key cheeses in real fondue (Real fondue: the kind that doesn’t start with “First you unwrap the Velveta”)
Fenris
EXCUSE THE LIVING F**K outa me!
Forty-friggin-eight!?!?!?!??!?!?
Sorry. You lose. A Geoduck clam resembles a horse’s penis. 48 horses peni do NOT go into a normal serving dish.
Have some respect for Evergreen State College’s mascot. It is one HUGE friggin clam.
Geoducks are 2 to 3 pounds! Up to 10 in some cases!!!
http://www.shellfishnw.com/html/geoducks.htm
100 pounds of clam flesh do not a delicacy make.
I’m sorry, javaman, but 48? Who here didn’t do their homework? Certainly not the judges! Even 2 would make me suspect.
As for me, can I suggest a simple clam dish for the holidays?
Can o’ clams
bunch o’ shredded spinach
little salt, little butter
bread crumbs
1 egg
Mix well. Maybe add some rosemary or tarragon.
Use it as stuffing for your Turkey. Oysters can be used as well.
I am making this light-hearted, but 48 Geoducks and no one complaining makes me suspicious. Y’all cannot be from the northwest.
Take care-
-Tcat
Fear not feline friend. Javamaven has already be taken aside and upbraided off-camera for this serious offense. She will pay for it dearly in my judging, trust me. I am obliged to congratulate you for having spotted this. It gives me dire pause in my hopes for accurate judging. If the clams in question were all record setters, we would be looking at a half ton of shellfish called for in that recipe. This is but one of many errors that I have labored to rectify. My delayed response is not a good omen, that you can believe.
A few more minutes and I shall be ready to post my assessments of these entries.
It shall not be a pretty thing.