LADIES AND GENTS, today is the first post from our newest member, Leslie Karst! Please give a warm welcome. She is a terrific writer and enthusiastic cook. I'm thrilled to be sharing Wednesdays with her. I'll let Leslie tell you a bit about herself. And don't miss her fabulous giveaway. ~ Daryl
This is my first post as a new member of the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen gang, and I want to thank all the MLK gals for inviting me to be a part of this fabulous blog. It’s an enormous honor, and I’m eager to share my love of food and cooking with all of you!
WELCOME, LESLIE!
This is my first post as a new member of the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen gang, and I want to thank all the MLK gals for inviting me to be a part of this fabulous blog. It’s an enormous honor, and I’m eager to share my love of food and cooking with all of you!
For
those who don’t know me, I write the Sally Solari culinary
mysteries, which take place in the beautiful beach town of Santa
Cruz, California:
Sally, a fourth generation Italian American, has found herself caught between two cultures—that of her father’s traditional Italian seafood eatery, and that of the newly arrived “foodies,” whose food revolution has taken the old-generation Italian fishermen and restaurateurs completely by surprise. Throw a few dead bodies into the mix and Sally’s once peaceful life heats up like a cast iron skillet over an open flame.
For my very first recipe as
an official MLKer, I thought I’d present a recipe from the first
book in my series, Dying for a Taste:
Linguine with Clam Sauce.
This is one of the signature dishes prepared by Sally’s
father, Mario, at their family restaurant out on the historic Santa
Cruz fisherman’s wharf. The flat shape of the linguine (“little
tongues,” in Italian) provides the perfect vehicle to soak up this
luscious sauce and, served with a tossed green salad and crunchy
francese bread, the dish makes for a surprisingly easy meal.
INGREDIENTS
(makes 4 generous servings)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves peeled garlic, thinly sliced
(¼ cup)
½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
(optional)
8 oz. clam juice (1 bottle)
1 cup dry white wine (Mario uses Pinot
Grigio)
2 pounds clams
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound dried linguine
½ cup chopped Italian (flat-leaf)
parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
chili flakes for garnish (optional)
my mise en place
(messo in posto?)
Any type of clams will work
for this dish, but the hardshell varieties—such as Littleneck,
Manila, or Cherry Stones—have a lot less grit and, if store-bought,
should already be cleaned and flushed of sand. Discard any clams that
have cracked shells, or which are open and won’t close within a
couple minutes after being tapped on the kitchen counter.
the Manila clams I used
DIRECTIONS
Start by getting a large pot
of salted water heating for the linguine.
In another large, heavy pot
(big enough to hold the entire dish when it’s been made), heat 2
tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until glistening. Add the
garlic and fry for a minute, stirring often so it don’t burn. When
the garlic starts to brown, add the bottle of clam juice and the wine
to the pot.
Let this simmer until
reduced by about a third.
Robin hanging out while I
heat the linguine water
and simmer the clam juice
and wine
By now your water should be
boiling. Dump in the linguine and cook until al dente. When
the pasta is done, drain it, return it to the pot, and toss it in 1 T
olive oil to keep from sticking together.
Meanwhile, turn the heat up to high
under the sauce and dump the clams into the pot and cover. When they
are all open (from 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the type of clams),
remove them to a bowl with a slotted spoon and cover the bowl to keep
them warm.
Leaving the heat on high, let the sauce
boil (uncovered) until reduced by half. Add the butter and let it
melt, and then turn off the heat under the pot.
Dump the cooked linguine into the sauce
pot.
Stir it all up well, so all the pasta
is coated with sauce. Add half the parsley, and salt and pepper to
taste, and then add back the clams and any liquid that has collected
in the bowl, and stir it all together:
Serve in large, shallow bowls and
garnish with the rest of the chopped parsley, and chili flakes, if
desired (see top photo). For a more elegant presentation you can
plate up the linguini without the clams and then arrange them around
the edge of the bowls. Buon appetito!
the remnants of my meal,
along with
a green salad and francese bread
a green salad and francese bread
The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Sally Solari Mysteries, a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California which has twice been nominated for the Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery. An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.
Visit Leslie to learn more about her and her books:
Leslie also blogs with Chicks on the Case
AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
To celebrate my joining the
Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen blog, I’m giving away a copy of the first
book in my Sally Solari series, Dying for a Taste—yes, the
one with the Linguine with Clam Sauce recipe—to one lucky reader.
To be entered, all you have to do is comment below and answer this question: What
is your favorite food memory from your childhood? (The giveaway runs
through Tues., May 19th. Please leave your email so I can contact you, should you win.)
Welcome. I’ve read all of this series so I don’t want to win. I have enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sue--so glad you liked them!
DeleteWelcome to MLK, Leslie! I loved eating linguine with clams but the recipe I made used tomatoes which I can no longer eat due to allergies. Thank you for this new recipe which I can try.
ReplyDeleteDon't enter me for the giveaway since I have read all your books.
Glad to give you a new recipe, Grace! Mangia, mangia!
DeleteWelcome to the blog, dear Leslie! I know we're going to get some delicious recipes from you. You know I love this series and all our readers will, too.
ReplyDeleteGrazie, mille, Edith! So excited to be an MLKer!
DeleteA favorite childhood memory is baking with my Mom and Grandma, which I'm starting to do with my daughter! I haven't read your series and am always looking for new series!
ReplyDeleteYay--way to carry on the tradition, Rita! That's fab!
DeleteI’ll definitely be making your linguine with clam sauce! My favorite memory is baking cakes, pies, and dinner meals with my grams. She did it all from memory and always tasted the same ��
ReplyDeleteEmail is booksnpugs (at) gmail (dot) com
DeleteThat's a special memory, Cherisse. And nothing like a grandma's baking!
DeleteWhen my parents divorced and I met my stepmom. I loved her right away. Though I loved my mom, she didn't cook and we ate mostly frozen meals every night. My step mom COOKED and showed me how to cook also. I still make all my childhood favorites from her
DeleteMy favorite food memory from my childhood is coming home from church to find Sunday Dinner spread out on the dining room table. My father often stayed home to cook dinner, and he was a better cook than my mother!
ReplyDeleteLisacobblestone(at)aol(dot)com
Sunday Dinner plays a part in my books, as well--Sally's nonna makes Sunday gravy for the family each week.
DeleteWelcome Leslie! We're so glad you're here!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lucy/Roberta! So glad to be here!
DeleteWhat a delectable recipe. My favorite memory about food is helping my grandmother who lived with us and learning from her. I could not be an expert baker as she was but hoped one day to replicate her treats. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteCan anyone ever be as expert a baker as their grandma? Or is it merely that nothing can ever match our memories? So glad you have those with her!
DeleteWhen I was young my mother used to make the most simple,healthy and tasty meals. I enjoyed them for the love and care she lavished upon these memorable dishes. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteLove this! Simple is so often the best, no?
DeleteI remember my mom and dad making homemade meatballs. And they were tasty.
ReplyDeleteJess
maceoindo at yahoo dot com
Yum! Sounds delish!
DeleteSo many of them, but I loved watching my granny make from scratch biscuits, which she did most every day. I loved them more than sweets.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria(at(hotmail(dot(com)
Nothing like homemade biscuits straight out of the oven! (With butter and honey--be still my heart!)
DeleteWelcome to the Kitchen, Leslie! We are THRILLED to have you cooking with us!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Leslie! So happy to be here!
DeleteWelcome, Leslie! A favorite food memory? One is Dad making shapes in the skillet with pancake batter. I remember a ship's wheel in particular. Another is going out to eat at a Mexican restaurant. I didn't care for Tex-Mex at that young age but loved a platter of chili con queso that I would always order as my meal.
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
Okay, now you've made me really hungry, Pat! That ship's wheel sounds amazing--what a fun idea!
DeleteMy favorite childhood Food memory is when my family and I will go down to Galveston and get a net run of shrimp. We would then go back to our home, fry them, and invited Our friends and neighbors over for a big party.
ReplyDeleteKitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net
That sounds so fun--and delicious--Christine! I visited Galveston once, years ago. I sure loved the food from East Texas--yum!
DeleteI have a number of wonderful food memories but the first that came to mind was a treat from my mother: a plate with three piles - strawberries, whipped cream and icing sugar. I was probably no older than 5 or 6 and I though I was in dessert heaven! mgshepherd2003@yahoo.ca
ReplyDeleteThat does sound good--and so much fun for a little kid to get to dip the berries in the cream and sugar! Love it!
DeleteWelcome, Leslie. So great to have you here. Big hugs. Cyber ones, of course. With my mask on. LOL ~ Daryl
ReplyDeleteThank you, Daryl/Avery! So happy to be part of the MLK family!
DeleteMy favorite food memory is “helping” my mother and grandmother can vegetables from the garden. I’m just starting on this mystery series and can’t wait to read all of the books.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! Canning vegetables and fruit is on my list of things to do that I have not yet--thinking this might just be the year to do it, lol.
DeleteAwesome giveaway! Thanks for the chance!jlwinc.org@live.ca
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Jen!
DeleteMy mom’s paprika chicken and rice. I can still taste it ❤️
ReplyDeleteButlerrich at Comcast dot net
Yum!
DeleteMy Gram made a frozen desert from cream cheese and cranberries and I don't know what else - she made it in muffin tins and it was so good - thanks for the contest - your series sounds wonderful - trwilliams69(at)msn(dot)com
ReplyDeleteOooo...that does sound good! Thank you!
DeleteWelcome, Leslie!
ReplyDeleteA favorite memory is going to the outdoor market for fresh fruit and vegetables with my grandfather.
jtcgc at yahoo dot com
Interesting how so many of our memories are of our grandparents! Outdoor markets are the best. And grandparents.
DeleteFavorite memory = Mom's beef and noodles! Always happy to find new authors to add to my list,so welcome Leslie
ReplyDeleteThank you! And beef and noodles sounds like what I'd love to have for dinner tonight!
DeleteSchool forgot to include email.. philip99@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteMy fav food memory was from going to visit my grandparents and going out for dinner to get bbq ribs. In my foster home I did the cooking from 9 until it was shut down and my specialty was chicken that is fried but I had so much help from my home ec teacher. I had many other chores to do such as making lunches for all the other foster kids and I remember also in 8th grade we had to get up in front of the class and do a talk. So I thought ok when I was done with making everyone a cucumber sandwich i threw the rest of the leftover in a bag and I made one for the class to watch when I was done wow this was late 60's we are talking about my english teacher asked if he could have it. Well that was my lunch but I said ok and he didn't know that I didn't eat breakfast as we weren't served that so i went on till dinner and hoped that we had dinner that night. ptclayton2 at aol.com peggy clayton p.s. love clams and love seafood lived in later years 20 min from SF till moved to Ia
ReplyDelete