Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 25

Oops!

Photo by Jelleke Van Ooteghem

 

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err.”

— Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Indian lawyer, spiritual & political leader, and nonviolent resistance advocate

Let’s Laugh About It

Photo by Victoria Romulo

 

 

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”

– Irish proverb

National Spouses Day

Let me espouse my spouse on National Spouses Day (which falls on the 24-and 1/2 anniversary of our first date). Sir Ronald is the craziest, smartest, funniest, loveliest man I could ever have married. I am blessed (& burdened) by his “everythingest” to the max! The pic is from our honeymoon in 2001. Ahhh… so young. Okay. Okay. Middle-aged, but younger than we are now! Happy Spouses Day!

Just Imagine

“It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.”

— Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945)
American engineer, professor, and physicist
Credited with building the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket

Lobacious Lobster

 

For Lobster Thermidor Day, I open my 2017 cookbook Lobacious Lobster. Among the “Decadently Super Simple Recipes” is KISS Lobster Thermidor (page 89), ideal for Lobster Thermidor Day!

 

 

KISS Lobster Thermidor
The first time I was served a Lobster Thermidor in a restaurant, I was wide-eyed and overwhelmed by the richness and unrelenting decadence. When I figured out how simply it could actually be made, I felt giddy. Naturally, I simply must let you enjoy this pleasure, as well.

6 whole lobsters (1 and ½ to 2 lb size), steamed & cut in half lengthwise
4 T melted butter
¼ c Dijon mustard
6 T butter
6 T flour
1 c milk
2 c heavy or whipping cream
1 c coarsely grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to suit your taste
2 T butter (not melted)

Remove the meat from the lobsters, cutting into large chunks & saving 4 of the half shells to use as your “dishes.” Brush the insides of the 4 shells you will use as dishes with 4 T melted butter, followed by the mustard. Set aside in baking pan with edges. Mound the lobster meat from the 6 lobsters into the 4 prepared “dishes.” In a saucepan, melt 6 T butter over low heat & stir in the flour. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk, stirring until smooth. Return to the low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cream, 1/3 of the cheese and salt & pepper to suit your taste. Pour the sauce over the 4 filled lobster halves. Sprinkle with remaining cheese & dot with remaining butter. Bake at 400°F for just 6-8 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

KISS Tips: This is also lovely with the addition of sautéed sliced mushrooms. If you find coral (eggs) in the lobsters, you can mix it in with the cream to add to the sauce near the end. If it is your preference, you could also save it for another use. We also suggest serving lemon wedges and sprigs of fresh parsley as garnishes on each lobster.

Be Someone’s Light

Photo by Daniel Mirlea

 

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)
English author & philologist

Calmness….

Photo by Eugene Chrstiakov

 

 

“Calmness is the cradle of power.”

— Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819 – 1881)
American novelist & essayist

National New England Clam Chowder Day

Super Simple New England Clam Chowder
Celebrate this classic American dish with clams, potatoes, onions…. and bacon, or I’d be lost!

4 (6.5-oz) cans chopped clams in clam juice
8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 T butter
2 large sweet onions, chopped
4-5 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 ½ lb small red-skinned potatoes, ½ “ diced (peeled, if you prefer)
1/3 c flour
2 c chicken broth or bone broth
8-oz jar clam juice
2 tsp Better Than Bouillon – lobster (or chicken)
2 bay leaves
½ tsp garlic powder, minced parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt & pepper
1½ c heavy (whipping) cream

Drain juice from clam cans into large measuring cup or bowl; set aside. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over med heat, stirring occasionally till nearly crispy; remove with slotted spoon to paper towels. Add butter to bacon drippings. Increase heat to med-high and sauté onions & celery 5-6 minutes. Add potatoes and sauté 1-2 more minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring and cooking for 1 min. Then gradually stir in the broth till well combined. Then stir in reserved clam juices & bottled clam juice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the bouillon, followed by the bay leaves and all the seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer, and let cook 15-20 min. (Potatoes should be tender.) Discard the bay leaves. Stir in half the bacon and all the cream. Return to a simmer to heat through. Stir in the clams and remove from the heat. Ladle into individual bread bowls or serving dishes. Garnish each serving with reserved bacon, oyster crackers, and/or  fresh parsley, as desired. Makes 6 servings.

KISS Tips: If not using half the bacon for garnishing, definitely add it to the chowder. Fancify the dish by topping with a crispy slice of baked puff pastry. Chowder is also excellent served simply with a warmed, crusty loaf of French bread. For a spicy twist, add ¼ tsp crushed red pepper along with the other spices. You can also choose a gluten-free 1:1 replacement for flour. For extra creamy, thicken with a little flour or cornstarch slurry.

KISS Variations: For Super Simple variations, add chopped or diced tomatoes and replace cream with tomato broth for Manhattan Clam Chowder. For Rhode Island Clam Chowder, opt for a clear broth by replacing cream with additional chicken broth. We’ve also heard of a sort of “combo,” by keeping the cream and adding tomato broth for New Jersey Clam Chowder.

Want to use fresh clams to replace some or all the canned ones? Scrub 7-8 lbs fresh cherrystone or littleneck clams. Bring 5 cups water and 1 cup white wine to a boil in Dutch oven. Add clams, cover and let cook 5 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove opened clams. Cover and let cook another 2-4 minutes. Remove remaining opened clams and discard any that failed to open. Pour remaining clam juice through fine mesh sieve to remove any shell bits or sand. (Add bottled clam juice or water if you don’t have a total of 4 cups of broth.) When clams have cooled, remove from shells and finely chop.

May “47” Flourish

Photo by Casey Horner

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)
American Baptist minister & civil rights activist

Today many millions of Americans celebrate the relief, hope, and promise of the new Trump administration. Many millions also shudder in fear or even horror over the exact same thing. We can only unify in peace when we recognize shared truths. We all want many of the same things… peace, harmony, prosperity. We all abhor many of the same things… greed, dishonesty, hatred. We all need calmness, healing, good health, and even the American dream.

Peace, Please

Photo by Pierre Lemos

 

 

“When two elephants fight it is the grass that gets trampled.”

— African proverb