Authentic New England, from an old Cape Cod recipe…easy, delicious and pretty darn quick to pull together!

Going way back, Cape Cod had very strong Portuguese roots and many favorite New England and Cape Cod recipes had their beginnings in that community.  They were fabulous fishermen and they were also incredible cooks. Their meals were usually very simple, very economical, full of flavor and this one is no exception. To be honest, although I love  New England clam chowder, I actually prefer this simple fish chowder, it’s just soothing comfort food that reminds me of my childhood, when it was a frequent meal.

Any mild white fish will work well in this recipe. Whether you like a thin or thick broth, the choice is yours, but do yourself  a favor and just try this. Even if you think you don’t like fish chowder, I urge you to make this and please do let me know your thoughts.

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbs. butter, split
1/3 cup sliced onion
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups chopped potatoes (about 4)
1 lb. haddock or any mild, white fish
2 tsp. corn starch or flour
3 cups whole milk, use cream if you prefer a thicker broth
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
First, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon of butter. Then, add water and potatoes. Next, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Then, cut the fish into chunks and add to the pot. 

Next, make a paste with the corn starch/flour and a little of the milk, stirring to combine until smooth. Then, add the mixture to the pot. After you have thoroughly incorporated the flour mixture, add the rest of the milk and stir to combine. Finally, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately lower the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. This will thicken the broth slightly. Just before serving, add the remaining 2 Tbs. of butter, give it a minute to melt and serve.

NOTES
If you prefer a thicker broth, you can definitely use light cream, half and half, or a combination light/heavy cream. You could also use a 2% milk, however it will be a much thinner broth. Play around with the options and find what works best for you.

This is a wonderful and delicious classic, adapted from Maria’s Pastry Shop in Boston’s North End.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole unblanched almonds
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup confectionery sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg white, for egg wash
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. orange zest

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°
First, spread the almonds on a sheet pan and toast for 8-10 minutes. Then, when the almonds are cool, coarsely chop them.

There is a chill in the air and cooler weather is definitely on the way. Therefore, this is a wonderful, hearty soup to try now. Although this is more like a stew, you can certainly add or subtract broth to your desired consistency. Serve with homemade crostini for a nice hearty lunch.

INGREDIENTS
2-3 Tbs. olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 oz. pancetta, chopped (optional)
1 head escarole (approximately 1 lb.), washed & chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 14 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
3-4 cups chicken broth
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan
slices of rustic bread, grilled or toasted

DIRECTIONS
Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Next, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, pancetta (if using) and sauté them for a minute or two. Then, add the escarole and stir to coat with the oil.

Continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until the escarole begins to wilt.
Then, stir in the beans, lower the heat, add the broth (more if you like a soupier consistency) and season with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for 10-20 minutes.

TO SERVE
Divide equally among four soup bowls, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over each serving, garnish with the parmesan and serve with a slice of good crusty bread.

NOTES
Alternatively, try a hot, italian sausage link, removed from its casing, instead of the pancetta. Adding a parmesan rind to the broth is also a nice addition.

This is a deceptively delicious option for grilled pizza. Although not necessarily one that I would have gravitated toward, because I didn’t like the thought of seafood on pizza…I know, silly me. However, I have definitely changed my mind and this is now one of my absolute favorites!

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
1 pound, 16-20 count fresh shrimp peeled, deveined, split horizontally
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
handful fresh italian parsley, chopped
1 round fresh pizza dough
coarse corn meal

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your grill on high.
In a large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium-low heat. Then, add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for about a minute. Then add the wine and lemon juice, red pepper flakes and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the shrimp and cook, only until pink and then remove them from pan and set aside. Continue simmering the sauce to reduce it a little bit.

Meanwhile, roll out the pizza dough in the coarse cornmeal. The cornmeal gives the crust a wonderful crunch and texture that everyone seems to love, especially me! I like my pizza very thin and crunchy, however you do the thickness you prefer. Also, I usually cut the round of dough into four pieces. I just find that to be a more manageable size to work with, on the grill and it is a more individual size.

GRILLING
When you finish rolling out, drizzle the dough with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, move your pizza (no toppings yet, at this point, we are just cooking one side) to a pizza peal or sheet pan. When ready to grill, lift your dough with two hands, lay the loose (bottom end) end onto the grill and lay it away from you, directly on the preheated grill. Close the lid.

Stay close, because this only takes about 2-3 minutes. Have your tongs and a large, grill spatula ready. Lift the lid and you should see a wonderful, somewhat puffy piece of dough. If there are big bubbles, just deflate them with your tongs or spatula. Lift the dough slightly, to check the bottom. If the dough is somewhat stiff and has good grill marks, then remove from the grill. Just to let you know, when I am making this for more than two people, I prepare the crusts to this point. Then, when ready to eat, finish the toppings and the cooking.

Lower the heat to medium.

Drizzle a little more olive oil on the uncooked side and flip over. Now, on the cooked side, spread the scampi sauce evenly and then sprinkle on the mozzarella. Finally, distribute the shrimp over the pizza and sprinkle that with the parmesan. Back out at the grill, rest your sheet pan on the edge of the grill, take your tongs and gently slide the pizza from the pan to the grill and close the cover. Again, stay close and check after about five minutes. When the cheese is melted and the bottom has a good crust, then it is ready. Slide the pizza off the grill,  using the tongs and supporting underneath with the spatula.

NOTES
Don’t be overwhelmed, I know this seems daunting, but it really is quite simple, once you get over the fear of failure. Please just give it a try and I promise you won’t be disappointed. You can check out more detailed instructions in my grilled pizza recipe. Let me know how you make out.

Adapted from an old Fine Cooking recipe .
One of my all time favorites and a definite go-to for a yummy weeknight meal or a great company dish. Chicken thighs are incredibly tasty and difficult to overcook, hence it’s a good choice for most any chicken recipe. I know many rely more on chicken breasts, but you should not overlook the humble chicken thigh, it is much tastier!

INGREDIENTS
2 large cloves garlic
Coarse salt or sea salt
3 to 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
12 chicken thighs, trimmed of fat, rinsed, and patted dry
2-3 large lemons, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
several fresh rosemary sprigs, snipped into twelve 2-inch pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, snipped into twelve 2-inch pieces
12 sage leaves
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with a large pinch of salt to create a coarse paste (alternatively, use a small mixing bowl and the back of a wooden spoon, or mince the garlic very finely on a cutting board). Add the oil very slowly, while pounding and grinding the paste, continuing until the aioli is thick, creamy, and emulsified. Put the chicken in a ziplock bag, rub the aioli all over the skin. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Meanwhile, arrange the lemon slices in one layer in a large shallow roasting pan or baking dish. Top each slice with a piece of rosemary, some thyme and a sage leaf. After that, set the chicken thighs, skin side up, on top; sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Finally, bake them until the skin is golden and the juices are clear, 45 min. to 1 hour.

Plate the chicken using a sturdy spatula, scoop each thigh, making sure you get the lemon and the herbs with each one. Serve one or two thighs per person, depending on their size. However, I find that most men want two, most women have only one.  Serve with some jasmine rice or roasted potatoes and a vegetable.

NOTES
In the fall, I love serving this with Roasted Root Vegetables, but any simple vegetable works well. Additionally, this is a great dish for entertaining a crowd because all the prep is done ahead and you can assemble it and hold in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Just remember to pull it out of the refrigerator about thirty minutes before popping in the oven, so it has time to get to room temperature before baking.