Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook (10 page)

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

WE HIT ON A BREAKTHROUGH TECHNIQUE IN THIS RECIPE:
freezer shucking. When you freeze and thaw clams, they open on their own, making it easy to shuck them with a spoon. This process also tenderizes the clams so they resist becoming chewy when you cook them. The shucking technique works with mussels and oysters as well, making it easier to use fresh shellfish at home. The biggest downfall to any chowder is usually the overcooked seafood, but here we add the clams at the last second before serving so that they are still tender and juicy when you take your first bite. Using the freezer shucking method, we’ve noticed that they stay tender when you reheat the soup, too. Finally, the seasoned crème fraîche adds a great flavor punch of fresh green herbs and citrus in the finished soup.

SERVES 8

5 pounds 2.25 kilograms
littleneck clams

6 ounces 170 grams
salt pork

2 medium
leeks

1 large
onion,
finely chopped

Fine sea salt

4 large
russet potatoes

2 cups 480 grams
crème fraîche
,
homemade or store-bought

1 cup 260 grams
whole milk

½ teaspoon 2.5 grams
hot sauce,
such as Crystal

1 teaspoon 5 grams
Madeira

2
scallions,
thinly sliced (15 grams)

Small handful of fresh
parsley leaves,
chopped

Celery leaves
from 1 head, chopped

Grated zest of 1
lemon

Wash the clams thoroughly to remove any sand or grit. Lay them out on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for at least 6 hours or until frozen solid.

Transfer the clams to a bowl and put them in the refrigerator to thaw. As they thaw they will pop open slightly; this will take at least 6 to 8 hours. Once all of the clams have opened, hold each one over a medium bowl to catch the liquid and use a spoon to scoop the meat out into the bowl with their liquid. Discard the shells. Store the clams and their juice in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Cut the salt pork into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice. Put it in the bottom of a large soup pot set over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pork is crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim the root ends off the leeks. Thinly slice the leeks, removing the dark green outer layers as you move up the vegetable so that you are only slicing the tender white and pale green layers. Soak the leeks in a bowl of cold water to remove any grit. Spin them in a salad spinner to dry and finely chop. Once the salt pork is brown, add the leeks and onion to the pot, seasoning them lightly with salt, and continue to cook over low heat.

Peel the potatoes, rinse with cold water, and pat them dry. Cut them lengthwise into thirds and then cut them into thirds lengthwise again so that you end up with 9 long pieces, roughly resembling large French fries. Cut each piece at a 45-degree angle, turning the knife in the opposite direction each time to form rough triangles, about ½-inch (13 cm) across at the widest point.

Add the potatoes to the pot. Add 1 cup (225 grams) of the crème fraîche, the milk, and clam juices, reserving the clams for later. Bring the soup to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Taste the broth and add salt if necessary. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the clams and cook for 5 minutes until they are just tender and cooked through.

While the soup is cooking, put the remaining 1 cup (225 grams) crème fraîche in a medium bowl and whip to soft peaks. Add ¹/
₈
teaspoon (0.75 gram) salt, the hot sauce, and Madeira and whisk well. Add the scallions, parsley, celery leaves, and lemon zest, and whisk well. The finished crème fraîche should have the texture of soft whipped cream. It can be stored in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before serving.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a small dollop of the flavored crème fraîche.

CHOPPED HERBS AND ZEST FOR THE FLAVORED CRÈME FRAÎCHE

NEW ENGLAND BAKED BEANS
WITH PORK BELLY

BAKED BEANS ARE ONE OF THOSE CLASSIC WINTER DISHES THAT
people crave when the weather drops into the single digits. Using a pressure cooker means that you can satisfy your cravings at home on the very day that they strike. There is a generous amount of pork belly in these beans so they are a meal unto themselves, requiring only some crusty bread and perhaps a crunchy acidic salad to round things out. Leftovers are perfect for hot dogs or paired with a little mac and cheese for some cold-weather indulgence.

Adding a small piece of kombu to the pressure cooker when you cook beans does double duty: It makes the skins more permeable to ensure tender beans and adds flavor to the finished dish. The kombu can be fished out and discarded at the end of the cooking time and its flavor will have melted into the sauce, leaving behind only a deep savory quality. Kombu contains the enzymes needed to help break down the complex sugars that make beans hard to digest. This is good news for everyone at the table. We recommend using a 2-inch (5 cm) square piece of kombu for every cup of dried beans.

SERVES 8 AS A MAIN COURSE

PORK BELLY

3⅓ pounds 1,500 grams fresh
pork belly

5½ tablespoons 100 grams
fine sea salt

½ cup packed 105 grams
light brown sugar

½ teaspoon 1 gram
crushed red pepper flakes

BEANS

2½ cups 500 grams
dried cannellini beans

1 (4-inch 10 cm) square piece of
kombu

4½ cups 1,000 grams
water

5 teaspoons 10 grams
garlic powder

4 teaspoons 25 grams
onion flakes

½ teaspoon 1 gram
crushed red pepper flakes

2.6 ounces 75 grams
candied ginger
(6½ tablespoons)

7 tablespoons 150 grams
molasses

1 (6-ounce 170-gram) can
tomato paste

1 cup 225 grams
red wine

1 (28-ounce 794-gram) can
crushed tomatoes

¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon 70 grams
tamari soy sauce

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons 700 grams
water

1 teaspoon 3 grams
instant coffee

MARINATE THE PORK BELLY:
Cut the pork belly into 8 roughly equal rectangular pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar, and pepper flakes. Put the pork belly pieces into the bowl and toss to coat the meat evenly. Transfer to a large plate, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Discard any leftover salt mixture in the bowl.

COOK THE BEANS:
Put the beans, kombu, and 4½ cups (1,000 grams) water in a pressure cooker and cook at low pressure for 5 minutes. Let the pressure dissipate naturally. Drain the beans, retaining the piece of kombu.

In a clean pressure cooker, combine the garlic powder, onion flakes, pepper flakes, candied ginger,
molasses, tomato paste, red wine, crushed tomatoes, soy sauce, 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons (700 grams) water, and instant coffee. Stir the mixture together and add the beans, kombu, and pork belly. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes.

Let the pressure dissipate naturally and serve immediately, discarding the kombu. Spoon the beans into 8 serving bowls and top each with a piece of pork belly. Alternatively, you can cool the beans and refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days. Reheat in a covered pot in a preheated 250°F (120°C) oven for about 1 hour or in a pot set over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

MOLASSES is a by-product of the process of refining sugarcane to make sugar. Unripe or green sugarcane is often processed with sulphur to help extract the juice. Ripe sugarcane does not require the use of sulphur, and unsulphured molasses is considered a healthier choice. The sugarcane juice is boiled three times, each producing a different level of molasses, graded by both color and sweetness. The first boiling yields light molasses, the sweetest of the pure varieties. The second boiling yields medium or dark molasses and the final boiling yields blackstrap molasses, which is the least sweet version. It has a distinctly bitter edge and the highest level of nutrients. Treacle is the lightest and most refined variety of molasses on the market and is sometimes cut with cane syrup.

SEASONED PORK BELLY

APPLE-CHEDDAR SOUP
WITH BACON-CHEDDAR FRITTERS

THIS SOUP BRINGS TOGETHER ALL OF OUR FAVORITE IDEAS
about fall—apple picking and discovering new varieties in the orchard and at farmers’ markets. A chill in the air and the gentle scent of wood smoke signal that it is the perfect time to start making soup for dinner. We use a blend of apples—usually Honey Crisp, Fujis, and Mutsus, if we can get our hands on them—which gives the soup sweetness and juiciness. Add some smoky bacon and sharp, tangy Cheddar cheese, and you’ve got an unbeatable combination. The crisp, gooey fritters take the place of croutons or bread and are fun to eat.