"What's the point of living if you can't take a moment to smell the roses"?
So used to say the Nepali foreman on my job site in Singapore.
A lovely thought.
But right now, being at the helm of Holiday baking & kiddy concerts and class parties that seem to have taken over my existence, smelling the roses seems to be the farthest thing from my mind.
I am sure most of us women sometimes feel like the hamster on a ferris wheel where the endless rigors of the day take its toll. Days filled with picking up kids, dropping up kids, waiting during their activities, cooking, cleaning, shopping etc etc. Not to mention the demands of a full time job with equally demanding & relentless people. And that's not even during the holidays!
Yes smelling roses is a distant notion indeed.
On such days, I take solace in a quick and elegant dinner. Something that forces me to take a deep breath, reminds me of fresh baked bread, cobblestone streets, azure waters and a bright golden sun. And few places in the world inspire a cook like Italy. And so with a handful of 'Oh so Tuscan' ingredients, a glass of wine and 15 minutes to spare, a dinner worth mention is created.
So I guess one man's roses, is another woman's soup.
Gather the ingredients :
1-1/2 lbs fresh, live manila clams & 2 lbs fresh, live mussels, de-bearded, olive oil, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, 8-oz can tomato sauce, fresh roma tomatoes, large red onion, large stalk celery, sprigs fresh thyme, salt, sugar, dry white wine, fresh parsley
Also as an accompaniment, 8 slices Italian bread & 1 peeled garlic clove
Mussels -In a pot cover with tap water & 2 tbs flour & set aside to help remove any sand deposits.
Clams - In a pot cover with water & 2 tbs flour & set aside to help remove any sand deposits.
Red onion - Peel, discard ends and finely chop.
Tomatoes - Peel, discard woody top and dice.
Celery - Discard bottom white end and chop.
Garlic cloves - Smash, discard skin and roughly chop.
Parsley - Separate leaves from stalk. Finely chop the leaves.
Cooking Method -
Turn on the oven broiler.
In a large dutch oven or deep saute pan (with a tight fitting lid), heat olive oil on medium-high heat till almost fuming.
Add garlic followed by onion & celery & red pepper flakes. Saute for about 5 minutes till onions have softened but not brown.
Add the diced tomatoes & thyme sprigs. Saute for about 3 minutes till softened.
Add the tomato sauce, wine, salt & sugar Increase heat and bring to a rolling boil.
Meanwhile, wash and scrub the mussels and clams getting rid of the water and flour. Set aside.
Once the soup is boiling, add the mussels and clams. Stir to combine.
Place the lid on the pot and cook for about 9-10 minutes.
Cook's Note - The clams will take 3-4 minutes longer than the mussels to cook & open up. Stir once during cooking time.
Once the mussels & clams have cooked they will open. At this point, discard any that have not. Taste and adjust seasonings in the soup.
Meanwhile, arrange sliced bread in a single layer on cookie sheet or baking tray and place in the oven. Toast on each side for 2-3 minutes turning over to toast both sides to a crisp golden brown.
Remove the hot toasts from the oven and rub the garlic clove over the bread. It melts on the bread like butter infusing it with a wonderful garlicky flavor.
To serve, divide the mussels & clams to serving bowls. Top with soup. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with the toasted bread slices on the side.
Resplendent in its flavors from the seafood 'liqueur', wine, tomatoes and fresh herbs, this is a soup that is comfort in a bowl and yet elegant without being pretentious.
The garlic rubbed toasts add volumes to this wonderful experience.
Recipe for
Tuscan in a Hurry : Tomato, Mussel & Clam Soup
Serves 4
Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 15 minutes
Shopping list
1-1/2 lbs fresh, live manila clams
2 lbs fresh, live mussels, de-bearded
1/4 cup olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves
1-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 qty 8-oz can tomato sauce
2 fresh roma tomatoes
1 large red onion
1 large stalk celery
5 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ lemon, squeezed
½ tbs salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh parsley
8 slices Italian bread
1 peeled garlic clove, for toasted bread
Preparation -
Mussels -In a pot cover with tap water & 2 tbs flour & set aside to help remove any sand deposits.
Clams - In a pot cover with water & 2 tbs flour & set aside to help remove any sand deposits.
Red onion - Peel, discard ends and finely chop.
Tomatoes - Peel, discard woody top and dice.
Celery - Discard bottom white end and chop.
Garlic cloves - Smash, discard skin and roughly chop.
Parsley - Separate leaves from stalk. Finely chop the leaves.
Cooking Method -
Turn on the oven broiler.
In a large dutch oven or deep saute pan (with a tight fitting lid), heat olive oil on medium-high heat till almost fuming.
Add garlic followed by onion & celery & red pepper flakes. Saute for about 5 minutes till onions have softened but not brown.
Add the diced tomatoes & thyme sprigs. Saute for about 3 minutes till softened.
Add the tomato sauce, wine, salt & sugar Increase heat and bring to a rolling boil.
Meanwhile, wash and scrub the mussels and clams getting rid of the water and flour. Set aside.
Once the soup is boiling, add the mussels and clams. Stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and cook for about 9-10 minutes.
Cook's Note - The clams will take 3-4 minutes longer than the mussels to cook & open up. Stir once during cooking time.
Meanwhile, arrange sliced bread in a single layer on cookie sheet or baking tray and place in the oven. Toast on each side for 2-3 minutes turning over to toast both sides to a crisp golden brown.
Remove the hot toasts from the oven and rub the garlic clove over the bread. It melts on the bread like butter infusing it with a wonderful garlicky flavor.
Once the mussels & clams have cooked they will open. At this point, discard any that have not opened. Taste and adjust seasonings in the soup.
Divide the mussels & clams to serving bowls. Top with soup. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with the toasted bread slices on the side.
Enjoy!
