Friday, December 01, 2006

Clam salad with marjoram

I had this pasta dish in Rome - spaghetti with clam, garish with crushed fresh mint - the combination sounds innovative to me (is it common in your area?). Before my first bite I speculated the whole thing going straight down to trash (I hate mint), but no! The mint-y aroma simply charmed through the taste of ocean. Now back home, my pot of marjoram grows merrier than ever (it only had a few limbs throughout last summer in yard). The new branches keep coming out and yearning for 'try me try me!'. Well, its pine-y fragrance almost like menthol does make me nostalgic. So some marjoram is crushed in this clam salad... Bravissima!

The basic rule for a great salad - use everything super-fresh. Old and withered vegetable still won't taste any better even after the salad dressing anyway. Here is my choice for this salad: clam, just cooked (octopus is great too!), carrot, green and yellow zucchini. For the dressing: mix key lime juice, olive oil, a pinch of sugar, and little crushed marjoram. Toss with clam and vegetable. Sprinkle a few sea salt flakes and crushed red pepper before serve.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gattina,

I envy you now for the growing fresh marojam! :) Simply adorable!

Kalyn Denny said...

Wow, I think this is very innovative and sounds delicious. I want to grow some marjoram next year; I don't think I've ever had it fresh. I think most plants that are grown inside will benefit from being a little root-bound (crowded in the pot) so I'm guessing yours is just fine.

Anonymous said...

wow, nice entry Gattina. looks so nice.

Anonymous said...

Looks great Gattina! Your marjoram plant seems to be doing so well! Like you mentioned, I feel that this recipe would be great with calamari as well!

Anonymous said...

Looks sooo festive already, Gattina! Put me in the X'mas mood:)

Anonymous said...

Looks very refreshing Gattina!

Unknown said...

Everthing is lovely, herbs, salad and all!

Lis said...

What a beautiful presentation, Gattina! I love the layered colors of the salad =)

This sounds like something right up my alley. I'll be trying this if I can still find any fresh clams in our stores :D

Gattina Cheung said...

Anh, a perfect timing for you to start gardening there.

Kalyn, good luck! And thanks for the advice!

lakshmi, thank you for the kind words.

Monisha, oh yes, how can I forget that calamari!!!

Asha, I guess everyone just looking forward to the X'mas season now!

Sher, thanks for your advice too!... and your compliment :D

Bea darling, thank you!

Angie, hope you get well soon! Could your hubby manage to cook you some tonic soup or something?

Lis, thank you! Maybe I watch 'Wht not to wear' too often, and believe Clinton's (the host) 'layers' theory, hehee...

Anonymous said...

Looks amazing! I've never seen yellow zucchini, but I'm glad you had it on hand to create this marvel!

Unknown said...

Gattina, thanks for your concern. My hubby cooking? I think he will turn my kitchen upside down *LOL*

Anonymous said...

Oh gattina this looks wonderful.

I'm not crazy about mint either because I got sick on some mint gin once but there are some Asian dishes I like it in.
This dish, while not Asian however, looks like one I would love it in too.

Anonymous said...

Great pics, I've never had anything like this before, I want some.

Anonymous said...

very yummy. i am not a big fan of cold seafood but ur photo has me drooling. the marjoram..well, u could send me the extra ones..:)

Sammy said...

Wow, what a unique way of presenting your salad haha. Btw, your pandoro tree looks very very nice and tempting!

Anonymous said...

The colors in these photos are astounding! It's snowing outside but these hues make me feel like it's summer again. :)

Ari (Baking and Books)

Anonymous said...

Gattina, what a lovely combination of colors! A very beautiful dish!

I'm not the right person to give you advice on your marjoram, since my basil is bigger and bigger every day. I think it will take over my apartment any day now. ;D

Anonymous said...

Wonderful salad!
I'm a fan of marjoran!
Baci

Anonymous said...

tihis salad, gattina, is an artistic thing, also with transparent anb beautiful glass:)

Anonymous said...

Gattina - this looks amazing. I hope you will send it to Green Blog Project. I am hosting it for Winter Spring. You can leave the trackback in comments or send me an e-mail.

Anonymous said...

I am not after cold seafood salads, but oh god i could eat this photo !! How do you pick these colors?

Anonymous said...

Ah marjoram. So versatile.

The clam salad looks fab. :)

Anonymous said...

this looks good and refreshing! love the colors!

LittleHands said...

Gattina, it looks soooo nice. How to eat yr food ah when you always present it to beautifully? :-)

Gattina Cheung said...

Hello all my friends! Sorry for my late reply because of my computer been down for a week! My heart-felt thank you for every lovely comment!