A Rainy Night in Newport...

I admit that I have been a bit lax on posting as of recent- it has been crazy busy in my little world. Between hectic office hours, trying to get my fitness routine back on track and house weekend house guest fun, I have fallen behind in my updates. I’m hoping to get back on track this week and get some of the back logged articles and recipes up, so bear with me as I get back in the swing (thanks for the gentle reminder, Carolyn!).

This past weekend, Kyle’s brother Brandon and his wife Ugne came for a visit from Boston. It was wonderful to host family, and we always seem to have a great time when we get together. The weather was pretty unfriendly, and this combined with the fact that it was Newport’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, we were all easily convinced to stay in, eat, drink and be merry. Not that I don’t love celebrating the High Holy Day of Obligation, but something about the combination of wet, cold, drunk hooligans was not particularly appealing.

Drinks and an Antipasti platter before dinner, even Ninja Kitties had a good time!

I had been working on the boatbuilding text at the library in the afternoon before Kyle, Brandon & Ugne came down to pick me up and we settled in for the night. Wine was poured, snacks were laid out and after a little relaxing, I got to work in the kitchen. Kyle and I had recently gone to Norey’s, a fabulous beer & wine bar just down the street on Broadway, and I had their AMAZING mussels, so I did my best to re-create the flavors with a couple of my own touches. There is an outstanding seafood market here in town- Anthony’s (http://www.anthonysseafood.net/), and we swung by in the morning to pick up some fresh treats. I went with a selection of PEI mussels, local littleneck clams and fresh monkfish and the combination was beautiful. Kyle also picked out four of the regional treats known as “Stuffies” (Quahog shells stuffed with seafood stuffing and a little spice kick) and they were an ideal and easy starter.

The meal was outstanding, the company engaging and the wine flowed freely. It was a wonderful weekend, and the perfect meal for a night spent in with family and storytelling on a cold March night. The recipe easily serves four very hungry diners, and can be adjusted depending on the size of your crowd. It is similar to the Frogmore Stew recipe, but is a bit more elegant in its ingredients, and a much different flavor profile. Thanks to Brandon and Ugne for the photos!

Mussels, Littlenecks and Monkfish in Tomato-Basil Broth

- 2 lbs. fresh mussels, scrubbed & debearded
- 2 lbs. fresh littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 1 lb. fresh monkfish filets, cut into chunks
- 1 lb. smoked (or Italian) sausage, cut into chunks
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 7-9 crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bottle good Belgian style beer (Sam Adams Noble Pils!)
- 1 ½ cups Sauvignon Blanc, or other dry white wine
- 16 oz. crushed tomatoes
- ¾ cup light cream
- 6-7 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
- ¾ cup of fresh shaved parmesan
- Sea salt & fresh cracked pepper
- Olive oil
- Crusty bread (cibatta or boule) for dipping

In a large, wide stock pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add in shallots and garlic to sweat and soften for a few minutes. Add in sausage and sauté until it begins to brown. After a few minutes, add in tomatoes, mushrooms, salt and pepper, and continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until all components begin to soften and meld flavors. Turn heat up to high, and add in the wine, beer and half of basil ribbons, cover and bring to a rolling boil (depending on how much seafood you have, you may need to add a little water as well- approx ½ to ¾ cup). Add in the mussels and clams (hold off on monkfish), and give the whole pot a good stir with a hearty slotted spoon to mix all ingredients together. Cover and keep a watchful eye. Every couple of minute, give the pot a good shake and stir the shellfish up- this will keep cooking time relatively even. After approx 10 -12 minutes, shells should begin to open. Using a large slotted spoon, remove shellfish from the pot (no worries if you remove other ingredients with the shellfish) and transfer to a large serving dish and place in a warm (not hot!) oven. Take stovetop temp down to medium and add in tomato puree. Once hot, add in monkfish chunks and cook through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and let heat through. Pour broth and cooked monkfish over mussels and clams, top with second half of basil and parmesan, and serve immediately with lemon wedges, a fresh green herb salad and lots of crusty bread for sopping up the broth- or in our case lots of big spoons as well!

Mussel