Hot Pepper And Garlic Shrimp
Linguine With Clams And Fresh Herbs
Scallops With Hazelnuts And Browned Butter Vinaigrette
Crab Salad Sandwiches
Oysters And Pearls
Maine Lobster With Wild Mushrooms And Rosemary Vapor
Roasted Prawns With Morels And Morel Butter



Hot Pepper And Garlic Shrimp

2 lb large shrimp in shell (21 to 25 per lb), peeled, leaving tail and
first segment of shell intact, and deveined
10 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Pat shrimp dry. Cook garlic, red pepper flakes, and sea salt in oil in
a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring
occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Increase
heat to moderately high, then add shrimp and saute, turning
occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, then transfer to a serving
bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 servings (as part of tapas buffet).





Linguine With Clams And Fresh Herbs

Anitra Earle of Yonkers, New York, writes: "I'm a perfume detective who
hunts down hard-to-find and discontinued scents. One of the benefits of
running my business from home is that I get to cook every day. I
usually make dishes that I've relied on for years, like this linguine
recipe. It takes just minutes to prepare, and as recipes go, it's
practically foolproof."

8 ounces linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams in juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
18 small clams (such as Manila or tiny littleneck), scrubbed
1/4 cup whipping cream

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still
firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta.
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add
garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add canned clams
with juice, basil, tarragon, and parsley. Add fresh clams. Cover;
reduce heat to medium and cook until clams open, about 6 minutes. Using
tongs, transfer fresh clams to plate (discard any clams that do not
open). Add cooked pasta and cream to sauce in skillet. Toss over
medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta, about 1 minute. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Divide pasta between bowls. Top with fresh
clams and serve.

Test-Kitchen Tip: The size of clams can vary, so larger ones may take a
minute or two longer to cook.

Makes 2 servings.





Scallops With Hazelnuts And Browned Butter Vinaigrette

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 large sea scallops (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup husked hazelnuts, toasted, chopped
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 small bunch watercress, thick stems trimmed

Cook butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until deep
golden brown and most of foam subsides, stirring frequently, about 4
minutes. Transfer butter to bowl, reserving skillet. Sprinkle scallops
with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon thyme; add to reserved skillet and
cook until just opaque in center, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
Transfer scallops to plate. Add shallots, hazelnuts, and remaining 1
teaspoon thyme to skillet; stir 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
Add browned butter and vinegar; stir to blend. Season vinaigrette with
salt and pepper.

Divide watercress between 2 plates. Top with scallops and spoon warm
vinaigrette over.

Makes 2 servings.

Crab Salad Sandwiches

You won't even need a fork for this no-fuss supper. Include some
top-of-the line potato chips and mixed pickled vegetables on the menu,
and have ice cream bars for dessert.

1/4 cup regular or low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
6 ounces crabmeat, picked over

2 large seeded sandwich rolls (such as kaiser), split horizontally
1 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce

Blend mayonnaise and seafood seasoning in medium bowl. Mix in celery
and onion. Add crabmeat and stir gently to combine without breaking up
crabmeat. Season to taste with pepper.
Place bottoms of rolls on plates. Mound half of crab salad, then
lettuce on each. Set tops of rolls over and press sandwiches slightly
to compact.
2 Servings: Can be doubled.





Oysters And Pearls

Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca with Malpeque Oysters and Osetra Caviar

Tapioca
1/3 cup small pearl tapioca
1 3/4 cups milk
16 meaty oysters, such as Malpeque, scrubbed with a brush
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup creme fraiche
Kosher salt

Sabayon
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup reserved oyster juice (from above)

Sauce
3 tablespoons dry vermouth
Remaining reserved oyster juice (from above)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 tablespoon minced chives

1 to 2 ounces osetra caviar

Note:
Timing is important in the completion of this dish. The cooking should
be a continuous process, so have the cream whipped, the water for the
sabayon hot, and the remaining ingredients ready.

For the tapioca:
Soak the tapioca in 1 cup of the milk for 1 hour. (Setting it in a warm
place will speed up the rehydration of the pearls.)

For the oysters:
Shuck the oysters. Trim away the muscle and the outer ruffled edge of
each oyster and place the trimmings in a saucepan. Reserve the whole
trimmed oysters and strain the oyster juice into a separate bowl. You
should have about 1/2 cup of juice.

To cook the tapioca:
In a bowl, whip 1/2 cup of the cream just until it holds its shape;
reserve in the refrigerator.

Drain the softened tapioca in a strainer and discard the milk. Rinse
the tapioca under cold running water, then place it in a small heavy
pot.

Pour the remaining 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup cream over the oyster
trimmings. Bring to a simmer, then strain the infused liquid onto the
tapioca. Discard the trimmings.

Cook the tapioca over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden
spoon, until it has thickened and the spoon leaves a trail when it is
pulled through, 7 to 8 minutes. Continue to cook for another 5 to 7
minutes, until the tapioca has no resistance in the center and is
translucent. The mixture will be sticky and if you lift some on the
spoon and let it fall, some should still cling to the spoon. Remove the
pot from the heat and set aside in a warm place.

For the sabayon:
Place the egg yolks and the 1/4 cup oyster juice in a metal bowl set
over a pan of hot water. Whisk vigorously over medium heat for 2 to 3
minutes to incorporate as much air as possible. The finished sabayon
will have thickened and lightened, the foam will have subsided, and the
sabayon will hold a ribbon when it falls from the whisk. If the mixture
begins to break, remove it from the heat and whisk quickly off the heat
for a moment to recombine, then return to the heat.

Stir the hot sabayon into the tapioca, along with a generous amount of
black pepper. Mix in the creme fraiche and the whipped cream. The
tapioca will be a creamy pale yellow with the tapioca pearls suspended
in the mixture. Season lightly with salt, remembering that the oysters
and the caviar garnish will both be salty. Immediately spoon 1/4 cup
tapioca into each of eight 4- by 5- inch gratin dishes (with a 3- to 4-
ounce capacity). Tap the gratin dishes on the counter so that the
tapioca forms an even layer. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use,
or for up to a day.

To complete:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

For the sauce:
Combine the vermouth, the remaining reserved oyster juice, the
shallots, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and simmer
until most of the liquid has evaporated but the shallots are glazed,
not dry. Whisk in the butter piece by piece, adding a new piece only
when the previous one is almost incorporated.
Meanwhile, place the dishes of tapioca on a baking sheet and heat in
the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they just begin to puff up.
Add the oysters and the chives to the sauce to warm through.
Spoon 2 oysters and some of the sauce over each gratin and garnish the
top with a quenelle, or small oval scoop, of caviar. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.





Maine Lobster With Wild Mushrooms And Rosemary Vapor

This dish combines aroma and flavor in a unique fashion: Bowls of
steaming rosemary vapor accompany the luxurious main course. The piney
fragrance of fresh rosemary adds another dimension to the taste
experience.

1 cup distilled white vinegar
4 1 1/2-pound live Maine lobsters

1/2 cup canola oil
3 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 fresh fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 fresh tarragon sprigs
8 cups fresh rosemary leaves stripped from branches (about ten
..66-ounce packages)

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 cups (3 1/4 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 pounds assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini,
chanterelle, and stemmed shiitake), cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, halved

Bring 8 quarts water and vinegar to boil in 10- to 12-quart pot. Add 2
lobsters headfirst and cook until shells turn bright red and lobsters
are just cooked through, about 11 minutes. Using tongs, remove lobsters
from water. Repeat with remaining 2 lobsters. Twist claws and tails off
lobsters. Crack claws and remove meat. Using kitchen shears or heavy
large knife, cut lobster tails lengthwise in half; remove tail meat.
Cut meat into large bite-size pieces. Place in medium bowl; cover and
refrigerate. Reserve claw and tail shells.

Using kitchen shears, cut away lobster gills. Rinse shells under cold
water. Place in large bowl. Pour cold water over and soak 10 minutes.
Drain; rinse well.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot over medium heat. Add lobster shells,
carrots, and next 4 ingredients. Cook until vegetables begin to soften,
stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add 4 quarts water and simmer
45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain lobster broth into large
bowl, pressing on solids. Strain broth again through fine strainer into
same pot. Boil over medium-high heat until broth is reduced to 2 cups,
about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; chill broth and
lobster meat separately.)

Bring 1 quart water to boil in tea kettle. Place 2 cups rosemary in
each of 4 large bowls; place on table.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over
medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic and saute until
mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes; discard thyme and garlic. Add
lobster and 1/2 cup butter to skillet and heat through, about 3
minutes.

Meanwhile, bring lobster broth to simmer in small saucepan. Pour hot
lobster broth into blender; add 1 cup butter. Blend until butter is
melted and mixture is frothy, about 30 seconds. Divide lobster mixture
among 4 shallow bowls. Pour butter sauce and foam over lobster mixture
and serve. Pour 1 cup boiling water into each bowl of rosemary to
create vapor.

Test-kitchen tip: Use kitchen shears to cut the lobster shells.

Makes 4 servings.




Roasted Prawns With Morels And Morel Butter

This recipe calls for giant 4 1/2- to 5-ounce prawns, which can be
ordered from some specialty fish markets. If unavailable, substitute 24
large prawns.

8 ounces fresh morel mushrooms or 2 ounces dried morel mushrooms*
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
3/4 cup chopped shallots, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

6 4 1/2- to 5-ounce uncooked giant prawns or 24 large prawns

Finely chop enough fresh morels or reconstituted morels to measure 1/2
cup (packed); reserve remaining morels. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in
medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup shallots and
garlic; saute 1 minute. Add chopped morels and thyme; saute 2
minutes. If using dried morels, add reserved soaking liquid to skillet,
leaving any sediment behind. Increase heat; boil until almost all
liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Transfer morel mixture to small
bowl; cool. Mix remaining 7 tablespoons butter into morel mixture.
Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Morel butter can be prepared 1
day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Using scissors, cut along back shell of each prawn all the way up to
tail, exposing vein; pull out vein. Turn prawns over. Using small sharp
knife and starting just below tail end, butterfly each prawn by cutting
1/4-inch-deep slit to opposite end. Place prawns, shell side down, on
rimmed baking sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

Preheat oven to 500 F. Melt 2 tablespoons morel butter in heavy large
skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup shallots; saute
until golden, about 3 minutes. Add remaining whole fresh morels or
reconstituted morels and saute until tender, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoon morel butter over each giant prawn (or 1/4
teaspoon over each of 24 large prawns). Roast just until prawns are
opaque in center, about 7 minutes for giant prawns or 4 minutes for
large prawns. Top prawns with remaining morel butter, dividing equally.
Return to oven just long enough to melt butter slightly, about 10
seconds.

Transfer prawns to plates. Serve sauteed morels alongside.

*If using dried morels: Bring 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan.
Add dried morels. Remove from heat. Cover; let steep 1 hour. Using
slotted spoon, transfer morels to bowl. Reserve soaking liquid.

Test-kitchen tip: Morel mushrooms, with their honeycomb design, require
thorough soaking in water. Submerge morels in large bowl of water and
agitate gently to release dirt, then lift out, leaving grit behind. Pat
morels dry and use immediately.

Makes 6 servings.
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