Published by mel on October 8, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
Photo Credit: Agustin Sanchez
It’s been 2 months since our big trip out to the Pacific Northwest and I’m still trying to recreate some of the dishes we had out there. One of my favorite meals was at Higgins in Portland. We weren’t really in the mood for a fancy place, so we sat at the bar and ordered from the “bistro” menu. Of course, the Mussels with chorizo and polenta caught our eye right away. So did the house-cured charcuterie plate, the local beers and the shortbread cookie with basil ice cream and nectarine syrup (which reminds me…I have to make this!).
So, back to the mussels. I finally made them over the weekend and they were every bit as magical as I remember them from Portland. The broth was bright and flavorful and spicy from the chorizo, the polenta added a nice heft to the broth, and the mussels were the perfect briny contrast to the chorizo. I ate until I was too full and washed it all down with a cold, bitter beer.
Honestly, this might just be the perfect recipe for mussels. But if mussels aren’t your thing, this “broth” would be perfect for shrimp, lobster or even chunks of fresh fish. In fact, you can even skip the seafood and substitute chicken or omit the extra protein altogether and think of it as a thin chorizo polenta soup. Just delicious!
Continue reading ‘Mussels in Chorizo Polenta Broth’
Published by mel on July 11, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
Ah yes, chorizo. It’s back. I’ve been pretty good about posting recipes that explore other ingredients, but I always come back to the chorizo. I just can’t help myself.
Last weekend, I had my brother and his wife over for dinner. I had only really cooked for them when I was living in NYC and had about one square foot of counter space to work with. I seriously have no idea how I was even able to make anything halfway decent in that studio. The kitchen was so small that I used to balance my cutting board halfway into the sink and halfway in mid-air. Real safe.
Anyway, I wanted to cook something really nice for them. And really nice means chorizo. I served it as an appetizer, quickly sauteed with breadcrumbs and stuffed into calamari. Seafood and sausage are a perfect way to kick off a meal. The calamari was just the right size - small, but satisfying. I sprinkled some of the stuffing over the plate just before serving, but next time I’ll use toasted breadcrumbs with fresh herbs for a lighter feel. Overall, a total winner that I’ll make at my next dinner party.
Continue reading ‘chorizo-stuffed calamari’
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