Paella for a Party

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First off, Happy New Year!  This year I am resolving to throw more dinner parties.  I am kicking it off with this Paella recipe that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.  I am also going to go to the gym in the mornings...no, really. 

Most of the time, I am the kind of home cook that looks for recipes that don't require me to restock my pantry with obscure or random ingredients.  I save the super complicated dishes for the experts.  But every once in a while, you have to make paella. 

For me, making paella was a massive investment - both in dollars and in time.  First I had to find the perfect paella recipe.  Of course no recipe reminded me exactly of my Spanish study-abroad host-mother's, so I had to combine a few different versions I found online.  I was also cooking for pescatarian friends, so I omitted all of the meat and made this an entirely seafood version.  Then I had to find all of the component parts.  I ordered this paella pan - so I could make enough for leftovers.  

For the ingredients, I had to travel to a couple of groceries and shop online to get what I needed -- but it was worth the effort.  Here's what I used:

3 cups of Calasparra Rice (higher in starch than regular white rice) 

12 cups of seafood broth [mixture of clam juice and seafood stock] 

1/2 lb shrimp - peeled and deveined 

1/2 lb clams - scrubbed clean and dried

1/4 lb calamari - cleaned, ink sak removed, and cut into small rings

1/2 vidalia or yellow onion - diced

3 garlic cloves - minced 

2 pinches of saffron

1 Tbsp tomato paste 

2 tsp smoked paprika 

1/2 cup of frozen peas 

extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp kosher salt 

First, saute the shrimp in a small pan. Season the shrimp with salt & pepper and place directly into the pan with the olive oil.  Cook until pink halfway up the shrimp.  Don't cook the other side. Remove the half-cooked shrimp from the pan and set aside for later. 

Next, heat the seafood broth in a large pot until simmering.  I used 4 cups of clam juice and 8 cups of seafood stock.  Add a pinch of saffron to the simmering broth.  Because the calasparra rice is so high in starch, you need 4 cups of broth per 1 cup of rice.  Keep this pot simmering until you've made the sofrito-more on that next.  

Then break out the paella pan (or your largest frying pan).  Your first step is to make what is referred to as the 'sofrito' - a mix of onions, garlic, tomato paste, and paprika.  Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and heat the pan over medium heat.  Saute the diced onion until transluscent.  Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant - about 30 seconds.  Be careful not to let the garlic burn - it cooks quickly!  Add in the tomato paste, kosher salt, paprika, and an extra pinch of saffron here for good measure.

Add the rice into the paella pan with the sofrito and stir until the sofrito has coated the rice.

Then slowly (and incrementally) add the liquid to the paella pan. I was worried about overflow, so I added about 3-4 cups at a time and cooked it down a bit to make room for the next batch. 

Once you've added all of the liquid to the paella pan, cook the rice over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR the rice at this point.  The goal here is to create the "soccarrat" - the caramalized crust on the bottom of the pan that adds tons of flavor and gives the rice its famous crispiness.  I know it is against all of your instincts, but seriously DO NOT STIR the rice.  Let it be for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.  

While the rice is cooking, steam the clams. Place 2 inches of water in a sauce pan, add the clams into the water, and cover.  Bring the water to a boil and cook the clams until the shells open up. Throw out any clams that did not open.  

Once the liquid is almost entirely absorbed into the rice, it's time to add the seafood and the peas.  Nestle the steamed clams and the peas directly into the rice and cook for another 8 minutes. 

Finally, add the raw calamari and shrimp into the rice -- placing the shrimp cooked side up. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp is completely pink and cooked through. 

Stand back, admire your hard work, snap some intagram pics to show off, and then dig in!  

Linguine with Scallops and White Wine & Clam Sauce

Pin It Now! Sometimes, I wander aimlessly through the grocery store looking for inspiration.  My interest is often piqued at the meat and seafood counter when I see something on sale.  Last weekend at Harris Teeter, bay scallops were practically begging me to buy them for only $8 a pound.  I quickly obliged, deciding I would purchase them and create a meal around them.  I grabbed about 2/3 of a pound, followed by a bottle of clam juice, planning a meal on a whim.  Very unlike me.

For this recipe you will need:
1/2 cup of clam juice
6 cloves of garlic
1/2 yellow onion
1 cup dry white wine
1 box linguine 
2 large tomatoes
2 tablespoons butter
Sprinkle of breadcrumbs
Red Pepper Flakes

First, dice your onion and tomatoes.  Make sure you remove the seeds from the tomatoes.  Then, mince your garlic.

Before starting the sauce, place your scallops on a dry paper towel.  Use another paper towel and press the scallops, drying them completely.  I then cut the scallops in quarters to get the most bang for my buck!

Once all your prep work is done, start on the sauce.  Melt the two tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and onion.  Cook 3-5 minutes until onions are soft.  

Next, add 1 cup of dry white wine, 1/2 cup of clam juice, and red pepper flakes to taste.  Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes.  As soon as you add the wine and clam juice to the sauce, turn on a pot of water to boil for the pasta.  Add the pasta as soon as the water begins to boil.

Once the sauce has boiled for 5 minutes, add the scallops and tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Simmer about 7 minutes until scallops are white.  Add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs to the sauce and stir.

When the scallops are cooked through, turn the heat off and remove the sauce from the flame.  At this point, your pasta should be finished cooking.  Drain it and return it to the pot.  Add the sauce from the frying pan to the pasta and stir.  Voila.  

This meal was flavorful, filling, and with a pretty healthy sauce satisfied my pasta tooth (like a sweet tooth, only for pasta) fabulously.  It also left me with leftovers for another 2-3 meals.  Enjoy!

Sandy & Shrimp Saganaki

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For me, cooking is my cure for the common cold--my way of remedying a bad day. When things seem otherwise out of control, I find solace in the knowledge that if I dice an onion and sauté it with garlic, it will make just about anything taste better. That sense of control over my ingredients might only be a stopgap measure, but I swear it works magic on my nerves. After Hurricane Sandy last week, my nerves were sufficiently frayed. After days of phone tag with family and friends in New York and New Jersey, and becoming addicted to hurricane footage, I decided a quick trip home to the Garden State was in order. There are many ways you can help the Hurricane Sandy Victims. Many communities are organizing drives for nonperishable goods, gently used or new clothing and blankets, and general hygiene products. Also, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army are accepting donations; I implore you to give what you can. Even after donating, so much still felt out of order. So I turned to the one thing I knew would provide comfort –- cooking for my family.

Because my family loves Greek food, I decided to prepare a couple of Greek dishes: Shrimp Saganaki and Spanikopita.  I'll be sharing the Spanikopita recipe shortly, but if you just can’t wait, feel free to send us an e-mail at fooDCraveblog@gmail.com. I will be happy to write you back with the recipe.

Shrimp Saganaki is usually served as an appetizer at most Greek restaurants. But because my family loves seafood, and because the grocery store was out of lamb shanks, I decided to make it a main course. Served with the Spanakopita, and a delicious baguette, this was enough for 5 servings.

You will need:

1 ½  lb of shrimp – peeled and deveined

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 large fresh tomato (any variety will do)

2-3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp of ouzo (we actually improvised with sambuca--a similar anise flavored liquor)

½ cup of a dry white wine

3 large garlic cloves – roughly chopped

1 small yellow onion – finely diced

1-2 Tbsp dried oregano

2-3 Tbsp of fresh dill

4-6 oz of crumbled feta cheese

A pinch of crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper to taste to taste

I like to get all of my prep work out of the way up front. I chop and dice all of my vegetables and measure out my ingredients before I start cooking. After many incidents of burnt garlic and various other kitchen mishaps, I have learned that prepping my ingredients just streamlines the whole process. So first, I would recommend shelling the shrimp (if you didn't buy shelled ones), chopping the garlic, and dicing the onion and tomato. Keep them all in separate piles on your cutting board so you can add them at different times. 

You should also open up your can of tomatoes and, in a large bowl, mix the canned tomatoes with the freshly chopped tomato and set it aside.
 

Second, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. You should use enough olive oil that a thin layer coats the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, toss in the onion and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and cook until it starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Keep a close eye on the pan as the garlic browns very quickly.

As soon as the garlic hits that golden brown sweet spot, pour the tomatoes into the pan. Let this simmer for about 8-10 minutes so that the liquid reduces by about half.

Next, add all of your seasonings: dill, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. You can adjust the amounts of any of these to your personal preference. Then, mix in the ouzo and the white wine and simmer for about 5-8 minutes or until the liquid from the tomatoes is basically reduced out and it resembles a hearty tomato sauce. Stir occasionally. No one will judge you if you want to yell out "Opa" as you pour the ouzo into the pan!

Once the liquid reduces, add the shrimp into the tomato sauce and cook until they are pink halfway up the side. Then flip over and finish cooking until they are fully pink. In total this should take 4-6 minutes. Cooking the shrimp in the tomato sauce allows it to absorb all of the flavors! 

Finally, crumble the feta cheese over the top of the pan and stir. Make sure to serve with crusty bread – you’ll want/need this for soaking up the leftover sauce! Stay tuned for the Spanikopita accompaniment soon!

DC readers- have you found an awesome Greek restaurant in DC? We love Mourayo, and are always on the look out for other Greek or Mediterranean spots! If you have a suggestion, please leave it in the comments! 

Stay up to date with our newest recipes, restaurant reviews, and other foodie news by following us on Twitter @fooDCraveblog.

Luke's Lobster

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Photo: nat m./yelp

I first heard about Luke’s Lobster in a DC Eater post  discussing the opening of their third restaurant in Georgetown earlier this spring.  This stopped me in my tracks.  Their third restaurant?  How had I missed the opening of this New York-based restaurant’s first and second spots in the DC area?  A quick Google search told me that this restaurant is owned by two brothers who import all their crab, shrimp and lobster from their father’s seafood company in Maine.  They opened their Penn Quarter ‘shack’ back in 2011 and have been shelling out lobster, shrimp and crab rolls ever since. 

Photo: christoper r./yelp

As a sucker for all things seafood related, Luke’s Lobster quickly made its way to the top of my must-try places.  I finally got to give it a go a week and a half ago.  My boyfriend and I made our way around 8:30 pm on a Saturday night.  The storefront is small, and gives off a ‘beach shack’ type of vibe.  There are probably 12-15 seats available inside and two tables for four outside.  When we walked in, every spot was filled.  Always a good sign in my book.  After placing our order, we snagged seats that had just emptied and waited.  We decided to try out the Noah's Ark trio (a combination of rolls served with two sodas and two bags of chips) and the spicy crab bisque soup.  After waiting less than five minutes our food was delivered to us.  Since we were sharing this platter, the kitchen had kindly split the order into two separate plates.  We hadn’t even requested this, so I thought this was very kind of them!  The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating for this non-server style location.  

Photo: ibis w./yelp

And the food.  Let me tell you that this is some of the freshest seafood I have tasted in this area.  The Noah's Ark is a sampling platter of each of the offered rolls: crab, shrimp and lobster.  I quickly took a bite of each roll, and was pleased to realize that I could not decide which I liked best.  I continued this pattern of eating throughout the meal, spicing things up, quite literally, with frequent bites of the spicy crab bisque soup. The soup had a great bite to it, but did not leave your palette completely overpowered.  It was also thick in consistency, which I prefer.  As I slowly savored every bite of my meal, I continued to wonder which roll I liked the best.  My boyfriend and I debated the issue as we ate.  He finished his meal in about half the time I did and quickly declared he could have eaten three of those entire meals himself. Ultimately, his favorite was the crab roll and I was tied between the lobster and the shrimp.  I did not want this meal to come to an end!

Another thing I liked about this spot was that they appeared to be extremely green conscious.  I always have an eye out for restaurants with recycling bins and the like, and Luke’s definitely had that covered.  They even served our sodas in glass bottles, which is not something I frequently see.  Their website also states that their seafood is obtained through sustainable fishing - another major plus.  My only minor (albeit almost insignificant) complaint was that the guy taking our order spoke so quietly we constantly had to ask him to repeat himself.  Not really a big deal, just slightly strange.  As for price, our entire meal was about $55.  I think this is pretty reasonable for a dinner for two on Saturday night.  I also don’t mind paying a premium for fresh seafood.  Other than that, Luke’s Lobster has rightfully earned a place in my heart (and mouth) as one of my new go-to spots in this city for incredibly delicious seafood.  I suggest you check it out!