Bivalve Beatitudes!

By Dave “Pops” Masch

Here we are in the shortest days of the year, months from when the striped bass return to open yet another season of warm-weather piscatorial pleasure. Except for the brave ice fishermen and a few intrepid smelters, not many of us will catch fish in winter, but before the harbors freeze, we will have access to shellfish or to people who have such access and “owe” us or love us. Sometimes this nets us shellfish without braving the cold.

In the past two weeks, I have been rewarded for teaching shellfishing to kids 35 years ago. Shannon, the widow of my young friend, Seth, who died recently (I often mentioned his cooking in this column), brought me a mess of oysters. I taught Seth where to find them and how to find them and hide them until they reached legal size.
Another shellfishing protégé of mine, Liz Prete, rewarded me with two pounds of bay scallops. The best scallops on earth!

My son-in-law brought me oysters, also. Maybe now that I have reached my declining years, I will be able to rely on friends and family for shellfish. None of them are much good at quahogging; my daughter Amanda is, but unfortunately she is not currently fishing.

Several delicious meals grew out of my students’ largesse. I feel I am reaping rewards from seeds sown long ago, and I am very pleased!

Oysters and Eggs (for 2)

12 oysters, shucked
4 eggs
1 scallion (optional)
Salt and pepper
A dash of Tabasco
Parsley for garnish
1 Tbsp. butter

Melt butter over medium heat, add drained oysters, and sauté until edges curl or tighten. Add eggs and optional chopped scallion, Tabasco, and salt and pepper. Stir until eggs are done to your choice of degrees of dryness. I like mine slightly runny. Garnish and serve. Accompany this with toast and a green salad and you have a gourmet light dinner for two.

This is good. The next recipe may be better. Dry white wine goes with both.

Hangtown Fry (for 4)

10 eggs
24 oysters, shucked
8 slices bacon
½ cup flour
Salt and pepper
1 cup fine cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp. cream
6 Tbsp. butter
Green onions for garnish
A dash of Tabasco (optional)

Cook bacon until crisp, set aside. Beat two eggs, drain oysters, roll in flour, dip in egg, and roll in cracker crumbs to coat. Beat the rest of the eggs with the cream and seasonings.

Melt half the butter over medium heat and sauté the oysters on both sides until lightly browned. Melt remaining butter, add beaten eggs, and stir until beginning to set. Now fold the omelet over on itself while still slightly runny in center. Serve garnished with bacon strips. This is very, very good.

You can, if you wish, skip breading the oysters and lightly sauté them directly in the bacon fat. Add butter to pan before scrambling eggs. You can also crumble the bacon into the beaten eggs before scrambling.

This is another great light supper dish – try it soon!

Creamed Scallops and Peas (for 2)

1 lb. bay scallops
1½ cups tiny frozen peas
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper
A dash of nutmeg
A dash of Tabasco (optional)
1 Tbsp. flour

Make a cream sauce (béchamel) by stirring 1 Tbsp. of flour into 1 Tbsp. of melted butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Now stir constantly for two minutes. Add 1 cup of hot milk to butter and flour mixture; do this off heat and whisk until smooth. Return to low heat and simmer gently. Salt and pepper to taste and stir in a dash of nutmeg. Put thawed, barely cooked tiny peas into sauce and keep hot as you sauté the scallops.

Put a Tbsp. of oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Heat oil and butter until butter just begins to color, then put in scallops, shake pan, and leave alone until scallops have lightly caramelized. Now turn them over and do second side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and pour peas in white sauce over scallops. Scrape bottom of pan to loosen browned bits into sauce.

Serve the creamed peas and scallops over rice, toast or biscuits. You will not be sorry – I promise!

Spaghetti with Vongole

Clam Sauce (for 4)
3 strips bacon
1 lb. spaghetti
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dozen or more littlenecks
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook bacon in large skillet with a lid. Drain crisped bacon on paper towels and crumble. Leave bacon fat in pan.

Boil spaghetti to al dente state. Add olive oil to bacon drippings and sauté onions and garlic gently until golden, about five minutes. Do not burn garlic. Add the washed clams, pepper flakes and wine to skillet and cover. Cook until all the clams open, about five minutes. Throw out clams that do not open. Put drained spaghetti, parsley and crumbled bacon into the skillet with the clams and stir. Add pepper to taste and there it is – joy in a skillet.

I like lots of pepper, and, although it is considered heretical by many, grated cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano) with mine.

A green salad, some crusty bread and butter, and a bottle of chilled, crisp, dry white wine, and you have a meal you could serve proudly to anyone on earth!