Buster with my mom, before heading out to the beach
A beautiful fall day, perfect for razorclam digging
Razorclam digging is not glamorous work, but a lot of fun. It was my workout for the day. Emi and the Puggles searched the beach for the clams and I dug them up.
My grandma and uncle undertaking the arduous task of cleaning the razorclams for dinner
The Barefoot Contessa's fancy, schmancy mac and cheese that turned out really well. We used the family as guinea pigs because we were planning on making the mac and cheese for the Halloween party as well. (The recipe is in the comments section - warning: it does take some time to make)
L to R: Marinated steak, fresh panfried razorclams (dip them in egg, flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and then pan fry them in butter for just a little bit), sweet and sour spareribs, Emi's mac and cheese, and a Vietnamese style chicken salad.
The three of them were pooped after the long drive, clam digging, a massive delicious meal, and a depressing ASU vs UW football game.
Letting the dogs run free on the beach the next morning
The razorclams that we brought back to Emi's parent's house. I finally learned how to clean these suckers and the task was not easy.
Another round of panfried razorclams and some champagne Sunday night to celebrate me finally getting a job!Check out the mac and cheese recipe in the comments section and hopefully this post inspires some people to go razorclamming!
-Kyle
-Kyle
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Ingredients
ReplyDelete* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* Good olive oil
* 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/2-inch
* 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/2-inch
* 3 tablespoons cream sherry (we used normal sherry)
* Kosher salt
* 1 pound pasta, such as cavatappi
* 3 ounces white truffle butter (we used normal butter)(recommended: D'Artagnan)
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 quart whole milk, scalded
* 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
* 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 1/2 to 3 cups)
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped
* 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
* 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan, add the mushrooms, and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are tender. Add the sherry and continue to saute for a few more minutes, until the sherry is absorbed. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, melt the truffle butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the white sauce is thickened and creamy. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, the pepper, and nutmeg.
Combine the pasta, sauce, and mushrooms in a large bowl and pour them into a 10 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish.
Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until they're minced. Add the bread crumbs and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the crumbs over the pasta and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Serve hot.