The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (63 page)

grilled prawns with pistou

SERVES 4

You can substitute 1 pound large shrimp with shells for the prawns.

¼ cup whole raw almonds

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley

12 anchovy fillets, rinsed

2 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges, for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

12 prawns, shells and heads intact

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet in oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely; coarsely chop.

2.
Process the almonds, basil, parsley, anchovies, and garlic in a food processor until combined. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup pistou for dipping.

3.
Heat a grill to medium-high (if using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for just 3 to 4 seconds). Toss the prawns with the remaining pistou. Grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 2½ minutes per side; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the lemon wedges and reserved pistou for dipping.

clams with lemongrass and chiles

SERVES 6 TO 8

This dish is also delicious with mussels. Decrease the amount of chiles if you like it less spicy.

Coarse salt

4 dozen small clams, such as littleneck, rinsed well (about 5 pounds)

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, hard outer leaves removed and reserved, bottom 4 inches of stalks thinly sliced crosswise

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 small fresh green chiles, such as jalapeño, serrano, or Thai chiles, thinly sliced crosswise

3 small fresh red chiles, such as cherry peppers or Holland chiles, thinly sliced crosswise

½ cup lime juice, plus lime wedges, for garnish (5 limes total)

¼ cup Asian fish sauce

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1.
Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl of cold water. Add the clams. Let soak at room temperature 15 minutes. Drain.

2.
Scrub the clams under cold running water. Transfer to a large bowl of fresh cold water. Repeat, scrubbing the clams and rinsing in fresh water until you no longer see any grit. Drain. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to use, up to 8 hours.

3.
Put the reserved lemongrass leaves in a large pot with ½ inch of water. Bring to a boil. Add the clams. Steam, covered, until the clams open, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain. Discard any unopened clams and the leaves.

4.
Add the oil, sliced lemongrass, the shallots, garlic, and chiles. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the lemongrass and shallots turn golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the clams to the pot, and gently stir to coat.

5.
Stir together the lime juice and fish sauce; pour over the clams. Transfer the clams to a serving bowl; sprinkle with cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges.

seared salmon with savoy cabbage and lentils

SERVES 4

1 cup French green lentils

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice (about ¾ cup)

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds, rinsed well

1 small Savoy cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 salmon fillets (at least 2½ inches wide and about 7 ounces each), with skin

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ lemon

1.
Put the lentils, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water by 4 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return the mixture to the pan. Add 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil; cover to keep warm.

2.
Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Reserve the fat; wipe the skillet clean. Add the bacon to the lentil mixture.

3.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; add the leek. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and a pinch of salt. Add ¼ cup water. Cover; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

4.
Stir together the mustard and 1 tablespoon oil in a shallow dish. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Place the fillets in the dish to coat the skins with the mustard mixture.

5.
Add 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat to the reserved skillet; heat over medium-high heat. In batches, if necessary (allow 1 inch between fillets), cook the fillets, skin sides down, until the skins are browned and very crisp, about 4 minutes. Flip; cook 3 minutes more (for medium-rare).

6.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the lentil mixture; stir in the parsley. Divide the lentils and salmon among serving plates. Squeeze the lemon over the cabbage; divide among plates.

striped bass with cherry tomatoes and olives

SERVES 4

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 pound cherry tomatoes

½ cup Gaeta or kalamata olives, pitted and halved

3 tablespoons capers, drained

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 fillets (8 ounces each) striped bass, skinned

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes; cook until the skins begin to split, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the olives, capers, and oregano; cook 30 seconds more. Season with salt and pepper.

2.
Coat both sides of the fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium roasting pan, skinned side down. Spoon the tomato mixture over the fish. Cook until opaque, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve topped with sauce from the pan.

salmon, spinach, and potatoes baked in parchment

SERVES 2

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed well and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 large russet potato (about 1 pound), cut into
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-inch-thick slices

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 shallots, thinly sliced

3 ounces baby spinach (about 1 cup)

2 salmon fillets (6 ounces and 1½ inches thick each), skinned

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper, each measuring 12 × 17 inches.

2.
Stir together the butter, capers, parsley, and garlic in a small bowl; set aside.

3.
Divide the potato slices between the parchment rectangles, layering them in stacks to form a bed (slightly larger than the salmon fillet) to one side of crease. Season with salt and pepper.

4.
Top each bed of potatoes with one-quarter of the shallots, followed by half the spinach. Place the salmon fillets on top of the spinach. Divide the remaining shallots evenly between the packets. Top each salmon fillet with 2 lemon slices (reserve the remaining slices for garnish). Dot with caper butter; season with salt and pepper.

5.
Fold the parchment paper over ingredients at the crease. Starting with one end of the paper and keeping the edges together, make small overlapping pleats the length of the paper, creasing tightly as you go and shaping the edge into an arc. The packet should resemble a half-moon.

6.
Carefully transfer the packets to the preheated baking sheet. Bake until the packets have puffed, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the packets to plates. Serve immediately, opening the packets at the table. Garnish with the remaining lemon slices.

shrimp with kale and white beans baked in parchment

SERVES 6

This recipe, without the shrimp (and with vegetable stock), makes a nice vegetarian main dish; serve it with grated Parmesan cheese.

1 carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds (cut into half-moons, if large)

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (about ¾ cup)

½ medium red onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

1 can (15 ounces) white beans, such as cannellini or navy, drained and rinsed

¾ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 small bunch kale (about 12 ounces), stems and center ribs discarded, leaves thinly sliced crosswise

18 medium shrimp (about 8 ounces), peeled and deveined

¾ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut 6 pieces of parchment paper to measure 12 × 13 inches each. Stir together the carrots, celery, onion, beans, rosemary, lemon juice, oil, and salt in a large bowl; season with pepper. Add the kale and shrimp; toss well.

2.
Lay the parchment rectangles on a work surface. Divide the shrimp mixture evenly among them, mounding in the center of each. Working with one piece at a time, gather the paper around the filling to form a bundle; loosely tie with kitchen twine (18-inch piece), leaving a small opening. Pour 2 tablespoons stock into the opening of each bundle; tie the twine in a bow tightly to seal.

3.
Transfer the bundles to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes; shrimp should be cooked through. Transfer the packets to bowls. Serve immediately, opening the packets at the table.

citrus-roasted salmon with spring pea sauce

SERVES 8

1 side of salmon (about 3 pounds), trimmed of fat and excess skin, small pin bones removed with tweezers

Freshly grated zest of 1 orange, plus 2 oranges, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 lemons, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds

Freshly grated zest of 1 lime

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1½ teaspoons freshly ground white pepper

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Spring Pea Sauce (recipe follows)

Pea shoots or watercress, for garnish

1.
Place the salmon, skin side down, in a nonreactive baking dish (glass or ceramic) large enough for it to lie flat.

2.
Stir together the zests, salt, sugar, pepper, and coriander in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the salmon. Wrap the salmon in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours.

3.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wipe the spice blend from the salmon with paper towels. Let the fish stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

4.
Arrange half of the orange and lemon slices in a single layer in a large roasting pan; place the salmon, skin side down, on top. Rub oil all over salmon. Roast until cooked through, about 17 minutes.

5.
Cut the salmon crosswise into 8 pieces. Divide the pea sauce among serving plates. Place a piece of salmon on each plate, and garnish with pea shoots and the remaining orange and lemon slices.

spring pea sauce

MAKES ¾ CUP

You can make this sauce with thawed frozen peas instead of fresh, in which case they don’t need to be blanched. The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat over medium-low heat, adding water to thin, if necessary.

Coarse salt

1
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cups shelled fresh peas

1 cup loosely packed watercress (1 ounce)

4 teaspoons cold unsalted butter

1.
Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil; add salt. Blanch the peas and watercress until bright green, about 45 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to the ice-water bath to stop the cooking.

2.
Drain the peas and watercress, then puree in a blender until smooth, adding 4 to 5 tablespoons water to thin (mixture should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Pass the puree through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Place over low heat, and whisk in the butter, 1 teaspoon at a time; whisk until emulsified. Season the sauce with salt.

chinese-style steamed sea bass with vegetables

SERVES 2