Pepper Jelly Clams

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Photo by Brenda Maitland

Have you ever been to a restaurant and had a dish so delicious, that you could not wait to get back home and attempt to cook your version of it yourself?

Well, that was just one my experiences recent  upon a visit to one of my favorite citnola-mopho-2014ies in whole wide world…….New Orleans. The restaurant was, “MoPho’s” , which is a little slice of heaven where the soul Vietnamese cuisine meets the melange of food that is the heart of Louisiana, is located in  Mid-City at 514 City Park Avenue.Everything on the menu is great and affordable. Trust me,you will love it!

If you ever spent any time in the Crescent City, then “you know what it means, to miss New Orleans”……the people, the music, and the food…..sigh, but I digress.

Between Spring and Summer, I just cannot get enough of fresh seafood. And MoPhos’s Pepper Jelly Clams by Chef Michael Gulotta fits the bill. This dish is the epitome of the meeting of two cultures: Southeast Asia and the American South.  Besides sharing a similar climate, Southeast Asian countries and New Orleans  also have river deltas where brackish water flows into clean clear waters, that sweet spot where you can find some of the best seafood during a given season.

Chef Gulotta uses little neck clams from Cedar Key Florida, but the stars of this dish are the Thai inspired ingredients, that make it spectacular.

At the restaurant, the dish is served with annatto beignets for dipping, but warm, crusty bread is just as satisfying. I opted for a Southern favorite cornbread to be served along side my version of this dish……

Adapted from Executive Chef-Partner Michael Gulotta of MoPho Restaurant.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

84 clams (rinsed well under cold running water to remove grit)
1/2 cup coconut oil or neutral oil
2 Tablespoons ginger, minced
2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons shallots, minced
2 teaspoons Thai chili paste
2 cups white wine
2 cups sweet cooking mirin
1/2 stalk lemongrass, crushed
2 cups coconut milk
3 Tablespoons butter
2 cups pepper jelly
Juice and zest of one lime
10 leaves of mint, torn
Kosher salt , to taste

To garnish:
12 strips prosciutto
Fresh mint leaves

 

Directions:
In a large braising pan set over medium-high heat, lightly toast the ginger, garlic, shallot, and Thai chili paste in the coconut oil. When the aromatics become golden brown, add in the rinsed clams followed by the white wine, mirin, and lemongrass stalk. Cover the pan and let the clams simmer until they open, about seven minutes.

Once the clams open, remove the cover and add in the coconut milk, butter, and one cup of the pepper jelly. Simmer the clams for an additional minute and then add the lime juice, zest, and torn mint leaves. Season with salt to taste.

To serve, remove the lemongrass stalk and portion the clams into six warmed bowls and garnish with fresh mint leaves, shaved prosciutto, and a few dollops of the remaining pepper jelly.

You can find the original recipe here.

Pesce Spada Alla Palermitan (Swordfish Palermo-Style)

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Serves 4

Ingredients:
Four 1/2 pound Swordfish steaks
Kosher salt, to taste
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
A pinch of dried rosemary, crumbled
12 green olives, pitted and sliced
1 Tablespoon capers
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Wash the swordfish steaks and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, then dust lightly with flour, on both sides.

Fry the garlic cloves in a saute pan in the olive oil over low heat until golden. Remove the garlic and discard and brown the swordfish steaks in the same oil, turning once. Remove steaks and keep warm.

Add the anchovies and onion to the oil an fry until golden, and the anchovies are reduced to a puree. Add the tomatoes and rosemary and simmer gently for 30 minutes until reduced and thickened. Add the olives and capers and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the swordfish to the sauce and then heat through very gently. Serve them sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Fried Catfish with Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
For the Salsa:
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 15-ounce can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil

For the Catfish:
Four to Six 8-ounce catfish fillets
1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
A pinch of achiote powder
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
A pinch of  cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups yellow corn meal
Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:
For the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside and let flavors meld.

For the Catfish:
Rinse fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. In a shallow baking dish, add salt, lemon pepper seasoning, achiote powder and lemon juice. Add the fillets and cover with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 25 minutes.

Combine the cornmeal and remaining spices in a shallow pie plate. Heat the oil to medium in a large cast iron skillet. Remove the fish from the refrigerator. Shake off excess marinade and dredge the fillets in seasoned corn meal. Fry in the hot oil until fish is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes or until fish easily flakes when tested with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, place the fillet in the center of plate and spoon the black-eye pea salsa on top.