Acopole-Style Pozoles ~. Rancho Gordo

From The Rancho Gordo Pozole Book 

by Steve Sando (Rancho Gordo Press, 2019).

"Most pozoles made with seafood or fish are white. This version, inspired by Acapulco chef Susana Palazuelos, contains tomatoes, a somewhat unorthodox addition. The best mix of seafood is open to interpretation, but I love the flavor that mussels add. I suggest tossing in the mussels toward the end of cooking, letting them cook in the broth and release their briny liquor into the pot, like a San Francisco–style cioppino or Mediterranean seafood stew. Although this method may not be authentic (I can’t imagine any Mexican serving mussels and clams in their shells, making their guests work), it’s much less effort for the chef, it looks dramatic, and it’s fun for your friends."
Ingredients:
For the chile paste: 

2 ancho chiles, wiped clean with a moist towel
2 guajillo chiles, wiped clean with a moist towel
½ of a head of garlic, broken into cloves
1 cup canned whole peeled Roma tomatoes
1 onion, chopped

To finish: 

¼ cup peanut oil
6 to 8 cups fish broth or light chicken broth
3 cups cooked white corn posole/prepared hominy (cooking instructions here)
1 pound firm white fish
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined, shells reserved if making broth
1 pound mussels in their shells, cleaned and debearded
1 pound clams, scrubbed
Salt, to taste

Garnishes: 

Onion, chopped
Radishes, thinly sliced
Cilantro, chopped
Mexican limes or key limes, quartered
Dried Mexican oregano or Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio

Directions:

For the chile paste: Cut the chiles in half; discard seeds and stems. In a small saucepan, warm 2 cups of water over medium-low heat; turn off heat when the water is hot. Meanwhile, warm a dry comal or skillet over medium heat; toast the chiles quickly, taking care not to let them burn. Soak the toasted chiles in the pan of warm water for 15 minutes. Drain chiles, reserving the soaking liquid.
Meanwhile, dry-roast the garlic on the same skillet or comal until soft. Cool, then peel.
In a blender, combine the chiles, garlic, tomatoes, onion, and enough of the strained chile-soaking liquid to allow the blender blades to move. Blend well, scraping down the paste as needed. Use a wooden spoon to push the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding the skins and seeds.

To finish: In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chile paste and stir immediately. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes. Add 4 cups of broth; stir well. Add the cooked hominy and heat through. (If you are using canned hominy, rinse the kernels before using and discard the liquid.)
Add the fish and seafood; gently stir to heat through. Add additional broth as needed — the mixture should be very soupy but the ingredients shouldn’t feel lost. Taste and add salt, as desired. Cook for another 10 minutes, checking that the fish is cooked through. Discard any unopened clams or mussels. Ladle into bowls and serve with your preferred garnishes.

Cider-steamed Dover Sole And Clams

Cider-steamed Dover Sole And Clams

A surprisingly simple but beautifully elegant fish dish for the big day.  It is ideal for smaller celebrations or as a centerpiece.

Ingredients:

500g clams

2 whole Dover Sole

1/4 cup unsalted butter

90g (3/4 cup) samphire*

250ml (1 cup) dry cider

40g (2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons) creme fraiche

Lemon wedges to serve

Directions:

Wash the clams in 3-4 changes of water; then discard any that stay open when tapped or are broken.  Set aside.  Rinse the sole under cold water, pat dry and season with salt.  Heat the butter in a large wide frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming.  Cook the sole top-side down for 2-3 minutes until golden.

Gently turn over the fish; scatter the samphire and clams around the pan.  Add the cider and cover with a lid or foil.  Bubble for 2 or 3 minutes, swirling the pan, until the clams are piping hot and the shells have opened (discard any that did not)  the samphire is tender and the fish is cooked through, opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Uncover and cook for 1 - 2 minutes to reduce a little, then season and add the creme fraiche  Serve at once with the lemon wedges.

*Samphire has seen a massive rise in popularity in recent years. Favoured by chefs for its salty yet fresh flavour, it adds bite to restaurant dishes and is abundant in the UK. Most supermarkets will now stock samphire on the fish counter when it’s in season, between May and August. Not to be confused with marsh samphire, rock samphire is also known as glasswort; the name coming from its use in the glassmaking industry in the sixteenth century. Fresh samphire should be vibrant, green and crisp. Avoid any that looks limp and dull. Samphire will keep happily in the fridge for two or three days, but keep it covered with a damp cloth for freshness.

Ciopino Seafood Stew With Gremolato Toasts

Ingredients:

1. 3 garlic cloves, divided
2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
4. 1/2 cup packed sliced fennel
5. 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
6. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
7. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
8. 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
9. 1/2 pound cleaned squid, bodies sliced into 1/2-inch rings, tentacles halved lengthwise if large
10. 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
11. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12. 1 cup dry white wine
13. 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14. 2 bay leaves
15. 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
16. 1 1/2 cups seafood stock or vegetable broth
17. 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
18. 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
19. 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
20. 1 baguette, sliced and toasted
21. 1 pound littleneck clams, soaked in water for 1 hour
22. 1/2 pound medium tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined
23. 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
24. 1/2 pound skinless flaky white fish such as bass, halibut, hake, or cod, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
Mince 2 of the garlic cloves. In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, fennel, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. 

Add the minced garlic and red-pepper flakes.

Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add squid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until squid is opaque and tender and the released juices reduce, 15 to 20 minutes. 

Add tomato paste and oregano and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add wine, raise heat to medium-high, and cook until cooking liquid is reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice, bay leaves, clam juice, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the butter, 1 tablespoon parsley, lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together. Cut remaining garlic clove in half and rub the cut sides on the toasts. Spread the flavored butter on the toasts.

When ready to serve, heat the pot to medium and add clams, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and mussels. Arrange the fish on top of the stew, cover, and simmer until shellfish opens and fish and shrimp are firm and opaque, about 5 minutes more. Discard bay leaves and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.

Serve cioppino immediately in large soup bowls with gremolata toasts alongside.

Cooks' Note
Soup base can be made to the point just before adding clams and refrigerated overnight if desired. To serve, reheat the base and add the seafood in the order described above.   Serves 6

San Francisco Seafood Chowder With Shrimp And Scallops

San Francisco Seafood Chowder
With Clams, Shrimp, And Scallops

Serves six to eight people.

Ingredients:
2 thick slices bacon,  
1/2 cup chopped onion, diced 
1/2 cup chopped celery 
1/8 tsp. dried thyme

1-7 1/2 oz. can chopped clams
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
3 T. unsalted butter
1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined and sliced in half through the back 
1/2 lb. sea scallops, halved or quartered depending on size
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 T. pale dry sherry
Chives for garnish

Directions:
1. Cook the bacon in a 5-qt. Dutch oven or saucepan until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

2. Add the onion and celery to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the thyme. Drain the clams into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 1 1/2 cups liquid, add to the pot, stirring constantly. Add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. With a potato masher, slightly mash some of the potatoes to thicken the soup.

3. Add the reserved clams, milk and half and half. Bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and scallops and simmer until seafood is just done, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sherry. Serve sprinkled with bacon and chives.

Tip: For a thicker soup, stir 3 T. flour into the onions and celery with the thyme. Cook and stir a minute before adding the clam liquid.

Tip: This chowder is great served with sourdough bread for dipping! 
Recipe from Phillis Carey

Italian-Style Fish Stew

Italian-Style Fish Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds white fleshed fish fillets, such as hake, snapper or sea bass with skin removed
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons chopped thyme or marjoram
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small lemon, thinly sliced
2 cups diced white onion
4 minced garlic cloves, plus 1 whole clove for 
   rubbing bread
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed 
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
3 cups fish stock, light chicken broth, 
   or water
12 large clams
4 thick slices country bread
1/4 cup chopped parsley
12 large clams
4 thick slices country bread
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions:
Marinate the fish:  Cut fish into 2 inch chunks and place into 2-inch chucks and place in a medium bowl.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  Add half of the chopped thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the lemon slices.  Toss to coat and set aside for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Add half the chopped thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the lemon slices. Toss to coat and set aside for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 8 hours).

Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring, 5 or 6 minutes.  Add reserved thyme, minced garlic, saffron, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, bay leaf and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.  Add wine, tomatoes, stock or water and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Taste and adjust; the broth should be well seasoned.  (This seasoned  base may be prepared up to 1 day in advance, if desired.)

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Arrange fish, clams and lemon slices in the bottom of a 9 by 12 inch baking dish or a wide earthenware casserole of similar size. 

Ladle the broth over everything, cover and bake for 20 minutes, or until clams have opened and fish flakes easily.  Toast the bread and rub with garlic.  
Sprinkle parsley over the soup.  Serve in low soup bowls, giving each guest some fish, clams, broth and garlic toast.  

Sorting Clams

Sorting Clams

While walking along a harbor to the Adriatic Sea in Rimini Italy, we spotted these men sorting clams. The shell is about the size of a medium lima bean but the clam is much smaller. We were served Pasta with clams and gnocchi with clams in a restaurant. Tomorrow I will post those photos.

If you enlarge the top photo, near the pilot house of the boat you will see the metal "basket" which they drag along the floor of the sea to collect the clams. After the clams are sorted, the clams not used for culinary purposes are returned to the sea.