Shellfish with Fennel, Escarole, and Kale
by Michelle Bernstein
Your Christmas Eve meal should be festive, but not so labor-intensive you spend all your time in the kitchen instead of visiting with family and friends. This simple but indulgent mixed shellfish dish from Michelle Bernstein of Michy's, in Miami, is great on its own with a crusty bread to sop up the sauce, or as part of an authentic Italian holiday feast.
Serves 4
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
12 grape tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced escarole leaves
1 Tbs. amontillado sherry
1 cup fish broth or bottled clam juice
16 littleneck clams, scrubbed
16 mussels, debearded and scrubbed
6-1/2 oz. (1 cup) medium shrimp (41 to 50 per lb.; preferably wild), peeled and deveined, with tails left intact
1 cup thinly sliced kale leaves
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley; more for garnish
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
Finely grated zest of half a lemon (2 tsp.)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until it turns golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to blister, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fennel and garlic. Cook, shaking the pan, until the garlic becomes golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the escarole and stir for 1 minute. Add the sherry, raise the heat to high, and cook until it evaporates, about 30 seconds. Add the fish broth and boil until it reduces slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the clams, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mussels, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, cover, and cook for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer the open shellfish and shrimp to a large bowl and cover loosely with foil. Toss any that do not open.
Stir the kale and pepper flakes into the broth and cook until the kale wilts, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the parsley and rosemary. Pour in the browned butter. Add the lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Distribute the broth, vegetables, and seafood among 4 wide, deep bowls. Garnish with parsley.
Serving Suggestions
For an authentic Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, start with two fried seafood hors d'oeuvres:
salt-cod fritters and
calamari rings before the mixed shellfish dish. Then for the main course, serve
red snapper in a spicy puttanesca sauce paired with
sautéed broccoli raab and a simple
spaghetti with pecorino and garlic. A rich
cannoli-inspired cheesecake, flecked with orange zest and chocolate chips, finishes the meal.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories
(kcal):
290;
Fat
(g):
16;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
140;
Saturated Fat
(g):
5;
Protein
(g):
27;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
7;
Carbohydrates
(g):
10;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
2;
Sodium
(mg):
800;
Cholesterol
(mg):
125;
Fiber
(g):
2;
From Fine Cooking 108
, pp. 6
October 28, 2010
