Shellfish Lovers Evening with the Author Cynthia Nims
Love is in the air—and so is the briny scent of the Pacific Northwest's finest shellfish.
This Valentine's Day weekend, we're trading chocolate hearts for oyster shells at Next Chapter Café inside Village Books Fairhaven for an intimate evening celebrating the flavors of our local waters and the art of cooking them beautifully.
Cookbook author Cynthia Nims is sharing her wisdom from The Essential Shellfish Collection, proving that shellfish cooking doesn't have to be intimidating—even if you've never shucked an oyster in your life. Chef Jennifer Worthley of Next Chapter Cafe is bringing three of Cynthia's standout recipes to the table, each crafted with the freshest catches from Bellingham Dockside Market. Every dish is gluten-free and thoughtfully paired with wine to make your taste buds very, very happy.
Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, or just your undying love for a well-prepared clam, this event is for you. Bring your partner, your best friend, or fly solo—there's no wrong way to enjoy an evening where shellfish takes center stage.
On the Menu:
Oysters Roasted with Arugula-Almond Pesto
Green Goddess Crab Salad
Hard Cider Steamed Clams
Below, you'll find the recipes for all three dishes we're serving. Bookmark this page or save the link to recreate the magic at home. Ready to dive in? Let's get cooking.
Arugula-Almond Pesto (for the Roasted Oysters)
1 clove garlic
2 cups moderately packed arugula (about 2 ounces), rinsed and well dried
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup olive oil, more if needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the garlic clove in a food processor and pulse a few times to finely chop, scraping down the sides once or twice. Add the arugula, almonds, and olive oil with a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. The pesto should be on the thick side, but spread out a bit when scooped up in a spoon. Add a dash more olive oil or a bit of water if needed.
Makes about 3/4 cup, enough for about 2 dozen oysters (about 1 1/2 teaspoons per oyster)
Green Goddess Crab Salad
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, minced
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces crabmeat
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, green onions, anchovy, parsley, chives, vinegar, and tarragon with pepper to taste. Stir to evenly blend and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. (The mixture can be made up to 2 days in advance.)
Pick over the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell or cartilage and add it to the green goddess base. Stir with a fork to evenly mix.
Hard Cider Steamed Clams
8 green onions, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, broken or torn in half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 pounds small to medium live hard-shell clams, well rinsed (see page xx)
1 cup dry hard cider
Sliced baguette or other bread, for serving
Slice the white and light green parts of the green onions to cook with the clams. Thinly slice enough of the green tops to measure about 1/4 cup, for serving.
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the white/light green parts of the green onions, garlic, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until the green onion is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the clams and hard cider, increase the heat to medium-high, and cover. After 2 to 3 minutes, gently stir the clams with a large slotted spoon. Cover the pot and continue cooking, stirring once or twice more, until all, or most all, of the clams have opened, 2 to 5 minutes longer. If the liquids are boiling vigorously at any point, reduce the heat a bit.
Scoop the clams and cooking liquids into shallow bowls, discarding any clams that did not open (along with the bay leaf) and leaving any grit behind in the bottom of the pot. Scatter the sliced green onion tops over and serve right away, with bread alongside.
All recipes credited to Cynthia Nims and Sasquatch Books