Tomov blog št. 3

Tokrat je pred vami eden izmed mojih najljubših receptov: testenine z morskimi sadeži.To je bogata, praznična jed in je kot nalašč za praznovanje. Kot sem že opisal, to naj bi bil "družinski obed" v veliki skledi iz katere si vsakdo sam postreže.

*Za lažje serviranje skuhamo "kratke" testenine.. priporočamo srednje velike »školjke«, ali drugo podobno obliko, ki zadrži omako. Vendar, če nameravamo posteči vsak krožnik posebej, lahko uporabimo dolge testenine (linguine ali podobno). V tem primeru školjk ne jemljemo iz lupin. Nikakor ne serviramo sira, kajti sir in ribe (na splošno) ne spadata skupaj.

Lignje in školjke lahko pripravimo nekaj ur pred serviranjem, testenine pa vedno skuhamo v zadnjem trenutku. V receptu sem natančno razložil, kako čistimo sveže lignje in kako na pari pripravimo sveže školjke, toda če uporabljamo zamrznjene morske sadeže je priprava še lažja - samo pazimo, da jih ne prekuhamo.

Moj naslednji recept v pripravi za Cool House blog: čudovita italijanska zeliščna omaka za morsko hrano!

Testenine z lignji, školjkami, žafranom, koromačem in smetano

Testenine so na desni strani krožnika

količina sestavin zadostuje za 6-8 porcij:

1/2 kg majhnih, svežih lignjev (kalamari)
2 stroka česna
sol
1,5 skodelice belega vina
1 kg školjk dagenj
približno 1/4 skodelice olivnega olja
1 por, samo beli del, narezan na majhne kocke
1 gomolj koromača z listi, gomolj narežemo na majhne kocke, liste grobo sesekljamo in jih prihranimo za konec
2-3 ščepce pikantne rdeče paprike
1/2 žličke žafrana

1 skodelica (1/2 litra), sladke smetane

750 g suhe testenine: školjke ali druge oblike "kratkih testenin" (glejte opombo (*) zgoraj).

Lignje čistimo tako, da jim nežno potegnemo lovke in glavo stran od telesa. Lovke porežemo iz glave prav tam, kjer se stikajo, to je tik pod očmi. Zavržemo glavo in vse notranje organe. Nežno stisnemo vse preostale vsebine iz telesa. S prstom poiščemo togo"pero" znotraj telesa in ga izvlečemo. Lignje narežemo na 6 do 7 mm debele obročke. Če so lovke posebej dolge tudi te narežemo na manjše koščke. Manjše lovke pustimo cele. Ko smo delo zaključili položimo očiščene in narezane lignje v srednje veliko posodo. Lignje potresemo s polovico strtega česna.

Lignje pripravljamo v veliki ponvi na srednje močnem ognju. Dodamo žlico olivnega olja. Ko se oljčno olje prične rahlo kaditi, vržemo v ponev polovico lignjev. Hitro jih razporedimo po površini ponve in pustimo, da se cvrejo(približno 1 minuto) nato pomešamo, da se v celoti ocvrejo. Potresemo s soljo in jih damo v skledo. V ponev vlijemo približno 1/4 skodelice belega vina. Postrgamo sok z dna ponve z leseno žlico, tako da ponev deglaziramo. Tekočino iz ponve vlijemo v posodo z lignji. Ponev obrišemo do čistega in ponovimo s preostalo polovico lignjev.

Operemo školjke ter jim pod mrzlo tekočo vodo odstranimo vso "brado" ali drugo, kar moli iz lupin (gojene školjke so običajno zelo čiste).Pazimo na težo posamičnih školjk...če so le te posebej težke, njihove lupine ponavadi vsebujejo samo pesek.Odstranimo vse školjke ki niso zaprte.

Ko kuhamo školjke, segrejemo 2 žlici oljčnega olja na srednje visokem ognju v velikem loncu s tesno prilegajočim se pokrovom. Ko se olje zalesketa, dodamo na kocke narezan por in gomolj koromača ter dober ščepec soli in pražimo še 1 minuto. Dodamo preostali sesekljan česen in pikanten čili ter pokuhamo še trenutek. Dodamo školjke in jih premešamo z oljem. Vlijemo preostalo vino in pokrito podušimo. Školjke dušimo na pari, dokler se ne odprejo, to je približno 2 do 3 minute, jih prenesemo v široko posodo, da se ohladijo in prihranimo vso tekočino. Zavržemo školjke ki se niso odprle. S pomočjo žličke, odstranimo školjke iz lupin in lupine zavržemo. Pazljivo prihranimo vso tekočino iz školjk, prav tako ves por in koromač.

Če uporabljamo zamrznjene, očiščene morske sadeže, počakamo da se delno odtalijo pred kuhanjem. Prepražimo por, koromač, česen in čili, nato dodamo morske sadeže in pustimo da se počasi kuhajo še minuto. Nato dodamo tekočino iz morskih sadežev in pokuhamo še minuto. Ponev odstranimo ko so morskimi sadeži kuhani.

V manjši posodi, z žlico, dobro zmešamo žafran. Dodamo 2 do 3 žlice tekočine iz školjke ter premešamo vse skupaj, dokler se žafran ne razvije v barvo.

Testenine kuhamo v veliki količini vrele, slane vode nato jih temeljito odcedimo. V veliki ponvi (lahko ponovno uporabimo ponev kjer smo pripravljali školjke), pogrejemo smetano. Dodamo mešanico žafrana in pustimo vreti za trenutek. V mešanico smetane in žafrana dodamo vroče, odcejene testenine, lignje, sokove, školjke, por, koromač in prihranjene sesekljane liste koromača. Dobro premešamo, dokler se ne pogrejejo morski sadeži in po potrebi dodamo sol. Postrežemo takoj.

Še izvirnik:

Here is one of my favorite seafood pasta recipes--it's a rich, festive dish--perfect for a celebration. As described here, it's intended to be served "family-style"—in a large dish where everyone can help themselves. For ease of serving, a "short" pasta is recommended—medium shells, or another shape that will complement the shellfish and hold the sauce. However, if you intend to serve individual plates, linguine or other "long" pasta varieties are traditional, as is leaving the mussels in their shells. In any case, don't serve cheese with this pasta—cheese and fish generally don't mix.

The squid and mussels may be prepared a few hours before serving, but the pasta must be cooked at the last moment. This recipe explains how to clean fresh squid and how to steam fresh mussels, but if you are using frozen seafood, the preparation is even easier--just be careful not to overcook the seafood.

(Coming next--a wonderful Italian herb sauce for seafood!)

PASTA WITH SQUID, MUSSELS, SAFFRON, FENNEL, AND CREAM
Serves 6 to 8

1 pound small, fresh squid (calamari)
2 cloves garlic, crushed well, divided
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups white wine, in all
2 pounds live mussels
about 1/4 cup olive oil, in all
1 leek, white part only, cut in small dice
1 fennel bulb with fronds, bulb cut in small dice, fronds coarsely chopped and reserved
2 to 3 pinches hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, loosely packed (not too much)
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream
3/4 pound dry pasta: medium shells, or other "short" variety (see note above)

To clean the squid, take a squid and gently pull the tentacles and head away from the body. Cut the tentacles from the head right where they join together, just below the eyes. Discard the head and all the viscera that is connected to the head. Gently squeeze any remaining contents out of the body. Using your finger, locate the rigid, clear "quill" inside the body and pull it out. Cut the bodies into 1/4-inch-thick rings, and cut any especially large groups of tentacles into smaller pieces, leaving smaller groups of tentacles whole. As you work, place the cleaned, cut squid in a medium bowl. Toss the squid with half the crushed garlic.

To cook the squid, heat a wide skillet over a medium-high flame. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. When the olive oil just barely begins to smoke, throw in half of the squid all at once. Quickly distribute the squid over the surface of the pan, and let it cook, undisturbed, for about 1 minute. Now toss the squid around in the pan for about 20 more seconds to cook through. Sprinkle with salt and transfer the squid to a bowl. Splash in about 1/4 cup of white wine, scraping up the browned bits into the liquid with a wooden spoon, to deglaze the pan. Add the deglazing liquid to the bowl with the squid. Wipe the pan clean and repeat with the remaining squid.

Wash the mussels well under cold running water, removing any "beard" or other material that protrudes from the shells (farmed mussels are usually very clean). Beware of any especially heavy mussels—the shells may contain nothing but sand—and any mussels that do not close up when agitated.

To cook the mussels, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium-high flame in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. When the oil shimmers, throw in the diced leek and fennel bulb with a good pinch of salt, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the remaining crushed garlic and hot red pepper flakes, and cook a moment more. Add the mussels, and toss to coat the mussels with oil. Pour in the remaining cup of wine, and slap on the lid. Let the mussels steam open, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mussels to a wide dish to cool, saving all the liquid. Discard any mussels that do not open. Using a small spoon, remove the mussels from the shells, and discard the shells. Be sure to save all the liquid from the mussels, and all the leek and fennel.

(If using frozen, cleaned seafood, let it partially thaw before cooking. Saute the leek, fennel, garlic, and red pepper flakes, then add the seafood, and let it gently cook for a minute. Next add the liquid from the seafood, and let everything cook a minute more. Remove the pan from the heat when the seafood is cooked.)

In a small bowl with a spoon, crush the saffron well. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the liquid from the mussels, and stir the saffron and liquid together quickly to develop the saffron's color.

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until just cooked through. Drain thoroughly in a colander. In a large pot (you can re-use the mussel pot), heat the cream. Add the saffron mixture and let simmer for a moment. To the cream-saffron mixture, add the hot, drained pasta, the squid and all its juices, the mussels, leeks, fennel, and all their liquid, and the reserved chopped fennel fronds. Toss very well, letting all the shellfish heat through, and taste the pasta for salt. Transfer to a large serving dish, and serve immediately.