Kitchen Garden Journal

Red or white?  This is our version, a nice compromise.

• 1 lb. spaghetti, linguine, or cappellini
• 2 lbs. steamer clams, or 24 littlenecks
• 1-2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 head garlic
• 1/2 glass white wine
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• fresh basil and/or parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper

Scrub the clams and soak them in cold water for an hour or so to reduce the sandiness. Put up some water for the pasta.  Meanwhile slice or chop the garlic as desired and sauté gently in the olive oil in a large pan with a tight fitting lid. When the garlic is not yet brown but starting to get sticky, toss in the clams, tomatoes, and herbs. Put on the lid and cook over high just until the clams open, shaking everything around from time to time. Remove from heat and discard any unopened clams.  Sprinkle with pepper and taste for salt.  Now, at this point you have two options*: you can fish out the clams and scrape their bodies back into the sauce (makes it less messy and time consuming to eat) or you can simply toss your al dente pasta right in the pan and serve it up, steaming, brothy, shells and all.  Almost as good as being at the Cape! (Better yet, take your veggies with you and make it out there!)
*If using steamers, you’ll need to shell and de-”sock” them before returning them to the sauce.

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• 1/2 lb. arugula
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 sweet onion (Walla Walla or Tropea), sliced thin

Wash arugula, spin dry and place in salad bowl. Top with tomatoes and onion. Dress just before serving.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• Salt & pepper to taste
• ¼ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

Mix together all ingredients except oil in a small bowl.  Whisk in olive oil until an emulsion forms.

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• 1 lb. spaghetti, linguine, or cappellini
• 2 lbs. steamer clams, or 24 littlenecks
• 1-2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 head garlic
• 1/2 glass white wine
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• fresh basil and/or parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper

Scrub the clams and soak them in cold water for an hour or so to reduce the sandiness. Put up some water for the pasta.  Meanwhile slice or chop the garlic as desired and sauté gently in the olive oil in a large pan with a tight fitting lid. When the garlic is not yet brown but starting to get sticky, toss in the clams, tomatoes, and herbs. Put on the lid and cook over high just until the clams open, shaking everything around from time to time. Remove from heat and discard any unopened clams.  Sprinkle with pepper and taste for salt.  Now, at this point you have two options*: you can fish out the clams and scrape their bodies back into the sauce (makes it less messy and time consuming to eat) or you can simply toss your al dente pasta right in the pan and serve it up, steaming, brothy, shells and all.  Almost as good as being at the Cape! (Better yet, take your veggies with you and make it out there!)
*If using steamers, you’ll need to shell and de-”sock” them before returning them to the sauce.

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This works well with chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes!

• 3-6 ears sweet corn
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• few sprigs basil
• cider or red wine vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper

Cut the corn kernels off the cob into a bowl and mix with tomatoes. Tear the basil into the bowl and dress with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. This is the essence of summer!

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• 1 1/2 lb. new potatoes
  coarse salt
  1 bunch spring onion, sliced thin
  1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved   1 small garlic clove, minced
  1 bunch parsley, chopped
  1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  1/4 cup good wine vinegar
  salt and pepper

Boil potatoes in salty water until tender but firm, about 15 min. Drain well. When cool, cut into quarters and toss with onion, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Serve slightly warm or chilled.  The flavors will develop as it sits.  This salad can obviously be altered in a variety of ways, adding whatever type of vegetable or herb you have or whatever type of flavoring your heart desires.

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