Our family has a twenty year tradition of preparing this light meal on Christmas Eve. This got started because my wife wanted something light in view of all the heavy eating ahead on Christmas day through New Years. This combination is so good that it was demanded by family members every year and we couldn't think of changing it.
New England Clam Chowder
Wonderful served in large bowls as a light entree soup with a Caesar Salad and fresh baked Sour Dough bread.
Our family tradition is to serve this soup on Christmas eve along with a Caesar salad.
(note: Most clam chowder recipes call for whipping cream. This one is much lighter using regular milk and is even delicious made with low fat 2% cream milk).
• 10 Slices Bacon
• 6 Cans minced clams (7.5 oz. size)
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 6 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon pepper
• 4 Medium potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2 Cups Milk (note: 2% reduced fat milk produces a delicious but chowder. Whole milk produces a richer tasting but more fattening version).
Saute the bacon in a large fry pan over low heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and then break into small pieces. Retain 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
Saute the onions in the bacon fat until transparent. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper.
Drain the liquid from the clams into a large measuring bowl (separating the clams from the liquid). Add water to the clam liquid to make six cups total.
Slowly stir the liquid into the flour and onion mixture. Then add the potatoes.
Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered until the potatoes are just tender. Do not overcook or the potatoes will become mushy.
Add the milk, clams, and bacon. Serve piping hot and top each bowl with minced parsley.
Caesar Salad
A great Caesar Salad is a wonderful starter for most any meal. This recipe omits the anchovies and the raw egg found in most other recipes and it is very good indeed. To get a great Caesar Salad you'll want to follow the recipe carefully. Serve each salad on a full-size chilled dinner plate.
Buy one medium head of the freshest Romaine (cos) lettuce you can find for each two to three guests. Remove the outer leaves and cut off both ends squarely with a knife. Wash under cold water and pat the leaves dry with paper towels. Place in a plastic bag with a few paper towels to chill from four to twenty four hours before serving.
The lettuce must be Romaine (Cos in Europe) and it must be very fresh, very clean, very dry, and very cold.
Make the dressing at the same time you are preparing the lettuce so that the flavors can mingle.
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
• 2 Tablespoons tarragon or wine vinegar
• 4 Cloves fresh garlic
• 2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 6 slices white country bread - well toasted with crusts removed
• 1/2 Cup crumbled Roquefort or other good quality Blue Cheese
• 1/2 Cup fresh shredded Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (The real thing from Italy freshly shredded (Use the coarse side of your box grater) – no substitute will do).
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Combine the lemon juice and vinegar in a glass jar or small covered container. Squeeze the garlic through a garlic press into the lemon juice mixture. Add the Olive Oil, cover, and shake to combine flavors. Allow to set at room temperature for several hours.
Cut Romaine into one inch pieces. Cut toast into 3/4 inch squares. Put all ingredients into very large bowl or kettle and toss to thoroughly coat lettuce leaves with the dressing. Serve generous portions on the chilled plates. Season with salt and fresh coarsely ground pepper.
If you have access to a good artisan bakery with crusty loaves of European style bread you can purchase the bread. If not, the following recipe gives great results.
Ciabatta Bread
First make the Biga
10 ounces All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Water
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Combine ingredients and stir with a big spoon until mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight (or for 8 to 24 hours).
Then make the Dough
20 Ounces All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon table salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 Cups Water at room temperature
(note: If the holes in your Ciabatta Bread are too big, you can subtitute up to ½ cup of milk for some of the water next time).
Place the Biga and dough ingredients in an electric mixer with dough hook. Mix on low speed until ingredients are well combined and then medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth and shiny.
Move dough to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size (at least an hour).
Using a large rubber scraper coated with oil, or a bowl scraper, fold the dough over itself a total of 8 or 10 times. Cover with plastic wrap and repeat folding after 30 minutes. Let rise another 30 minutes or longer until doubled in size.
Meanwhile preheat over to 450 degrees F and place baking stone on lower shelf for at least 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 equal size pieces. Try not to deflate too much. Cut four 12 x 6 inch pieces of parchment paper and dust with flour.
Shape each piece into roughly 12 x 6 inch rectangle. Fold shorter sided toward center like business letter overlapping them. Transfer each piece of dough seam side down to parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour until surfaces of loaves develop small bubbles.
Using fingers, poke and shape each loaf to form 10 X 6 inch rectangle. Spray with water and gently slide each loaf with parchment paper onto hot baking stone.
Spray baking loaves twice with water during first five minutes of baking time.
Bake 22 to 27 minutes until golden brown and instant read thermometer reads 210 degrees.
Transfer to cooling rack and cool for about an hour before slicing.
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