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Chef Jim’s Linguine with Clam Sauce

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Celebrating Chef Jim’s anniversary at The Cork with a favorite recipe

Chef Jim Smailer

Hey everyone: on this day 36 years ago (that’s Oct. 10, 1981 for those who don’t want to do the math), Chef Jim Smailer joined The Cork family and helped establish our restaurant as one of Boulder’s favorite fine dining traditions.

While The Cork is known and beloved for its perfectly prepared steaks, those who have had Chef Jim’s famous fish tacos, crab cakes and Sake Salmon can taste that Chef Jim’s one true love is seafood. So in honor of Chef Jim’s 36th anniversary at The Cork, and his love for seafood, we wanted to share with you one of Chef Jim’s all-time favorite recipes: linguine with clam sauce.

Chef’s Notes:

I love this dish! This recipe appears simple but requires lots of attention to detail. Follow the timing of each step as outlined in the directions exactly to ensure you get a nice, thick, flavorful clam sauce. I recommend getting your clams from Whole Foods if possible. And be sure to serve this dish with homemade garlic bread and plenty of red wine! Good luck, and let me know how it turns out—questions and comments welcome below!

Recipe: Chef Jim’s Linguine with Clam Sauce

Ingredients:

Chef Jim’s Linguine with Clam Sauce

36 little neck clams, rinsed and scrubbed well

2 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped

½ cup white wine

½ cup olive oil

4 – 5 fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 lb. best quality linguine or spaghetti

Directions:

  1. In a large sauce pan with a tight fitting lid, combine clams, ¼ cup of olive oil and 1 tbsp of the garlic and cook over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally.
  2. After approx. 5 min., add wine and allow clams to simmer until they open.
  3. Remove the open clams from the cooking liquid, move to a bowl and let cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine strainer or cheese cloth into a sauce pan. Remove clams from their shells and set aside.
  4. Heat remaining ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add remaining 1 tbsp of garlic and cook until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes and stir in the chopped tomatoes. Cook this mixture for 5–8 min.
  5. Heat the reserved clam broth over medium heat. Using a small ladle add about 2 ounces of clam liquid to the simmering tomato mixture. Repeat this 3 times, letting the liquid reduce a little each time until you have a thick, flavorful sauce.
  6. Bring a large pasta pot of water to a boil. Salt the pasta water and add pasta. Cook pasta according to directions on the pasta box. Meanwhile, pour the remaining clam broth into the tomato mixture and bring to a simmer.
  7. When the pasta has 4 min. of cooking time left, strain the pasta and add to the tomato mixture. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce until al dente. Add the clams and ½ of the parsley. Toss all together to warm. Serve in warm pasta bowls and garnish with remaining parsley.

Recipe: Chef Jim’s Holiday Oysters

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Looking for a new family favorite? The holidays around the Smailer house wouldn’t be complete without this warm, cozy heirloom dish.

Ingredients:
Serves 3 people

1 fennel bulb (trimmed, cored and finely diced)
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and finely diced)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
24 oysters (any type will work well)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a sauté pan, heat the butter and oil over medium high heat add the vegetables. Let the mixture brown on the bottom before stirring.
  3. Stir with a spatula to brown ell edges evenly. Add a little salt and a generous grind of fresh pepper.
  4. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
  5. Shuck the oysters and place in the cast iron pan, being careful not to lose any of the liquid from the oysters.
  6. Top the oysters with the vegetable mixture and bake for approximately 8 minutes. The topping should be very hot and the oysters just cooked.
  7. Garnish with a fennel frond and enjoy this warming comfort dish.

Chef’s notes:
This recipe has been in the family for 30 years, and it’s perfect as a first course or side dish. I like to serve at least 8 oysters per person, and it’s imperative that it’s served immediately and very hot. It’s a nice touch to serve the oysters from the cast iron pan they were cooked in, straight from oven to table.

Chef Jim's Holiday Oyster Recipe

Chef Kirsten’s Belgian Chocolate Mousse Recipe

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BELGIAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE RECIPE

Yield: 16-18 (4oz) servings

Belgian Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

14 oz bittersweet chocolate
4 oz milk chocolate
½ cup warm coffee
¼ cup liquor (Grand Marnier, kahlua, crème de cacao)
4 egg yolks
8 egg whites
2 ¼ cups cream

Steps

  1. Melt chocolate in a small metal bowl over a pot of boiling water (double boiler).
  2. In a large metal bowl, add coffee and liquor.
  3. Add melted chocolate. Whisk.
  4. Add egg yolks. Whisk till combined.
  5. In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites until you see stiff peaks. Add to chocolate mixture.
  6. Beat heavy cream to medium stiff peaks. Add to chocolate mixture.
  7. Pour into glasses. Cover with wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  8. Serve with whipped cream and strawberries.

May: One of Our Favorite Food Months

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In Boulder you can always confirm the arrival of spring with the sights and sounds of our legendary farmers market. Booth after booth, the market seems to expand each year, marking the arrival of established and new farms and ranches. Who can keep up with this bounty?

Jim at Farmer's MarketA longstanding devotee of the market, our Executive Chef Jim Smailer certainly does his best. Undeterred by the chill of an early spring morning, Chef Jim arrives early for the best selection. Lots of folks enjoy the Market, but for Chef Jim, finding the freshest local asparagus and greens is like panning for gold.

“I feel like I say this every year, but May is one of my favorite food months at home and at the Cork. We come out of five months of virtually no local produce, and May really starts the Farmers Market season off. The world comes alive in spring,” Chef Jim said.

It’s true that freshly-picked produce stands on its own, but its ability to elevate a dish is remarkable. That’s where Chef Jim’s true talents come in to play. The joy in his face reflects his delight in cooking with these kinds of quality ingredients, as well as the creative opportunities hyper-seasonal selections, such as pea shoots, offer.

Asparagus ravioliThat asparagus in his hand might just turn into Asparagus ravioli, which you can also try at home with Chef Jim’s recipe. Pea shoot pesto and squash blossom pizza are other examples of Jim’s artistry. To supplement goodies from the farmers market, The Cork regularly receives deliveries from the best local farms.

It’s also a great time for seafood.

“Wild salmon and halibut have been long gone. These two great American fish make a welcome return in the spring,” Jim said, “Oh, and I almost forgot to mention softshell crabs which I eagerly await!”

Halibut Salad (better lighting)Together with Jim’s hand-picked produce, the possibilities for his seafood selections are almost endless.

“We also have spring lamb from Triple M Bar Ranch,” Jim said.

So, who can keep up?

Chef Jim, of course.

Come and enjoy Chef Jim’s inspired spring cuisine at the Cork!

Recipe: Pea Shoot Pesto

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Recipe: Pea Shoot PestoIngredients:

  • 2 packed cups of pea shoots
  • 1/2 cup of fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup of spring onion or scallion chopped
  • 1/4 cup of lightly toasted piñon nuts (preferably Italian)
  • 1/4 tsp. of black pepper
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup of grated reggiano parmesan

Directions:

  • Place all of the above ingredients in a food processor and slowly add extra virgin olive oil until you have the right consistency (should make about a 1/3 to 1/2 cup of finished pesto).
  • Can be made a couple of hours ahead of time, covered with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature.

Chef notes:

  • The pesto is the perfect complement to a piece of fresh halibut because it is a little less pungent than a classic basil and garlic version.

Recipe: Asparagus Ravioli

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Asparagus ravioli

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 spring onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • 1/4 t. nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup plus more for topping of Reggiano Parmigiano, grated
  • 1/2 cup plus more for topping of Pecorino Toscano, grated
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large saute pan add the olive oil over medium high heat.
    Add the spring onion and chopped asparagus, reserving the spear tops.
  2. Season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, approximately 10 minutes
  3. Set this mixture aside to cool.
  4. In a bowl whisk together the ricotta, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of each cheese
  5. Add the cooled asparagus mixture and gently mix.
    This mixture is a wonderful spring filling for ravioli. Find your favorite fresh pasta recipe and a ravioli mold and make ravioli.
  6. The ravioli will cook in salted gently boiling water for approximately 4 – 6 minutes depending on the thickness of the pasta. Drain the ravioli and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
  7. While the ravioli are cooking melt the butter in a saucepan just until melted, do not brown. Add the reserved asparagus tips and cook until just tender.
  8. Add the cooked ravioli and the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to the saucepan with the asparagus tips. Toss the ravioli. Place in warm bowls. Top with the reserved cheeses and few grinds of black pepper.
  9. This recipe makes about 36 small ravioli or 24 free form ravioli.
  10. The size will depend on size of ravioli. This recipe will serve 6 people.

Chef Jim’s Super Simple Yellow Tomato Sauce

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yellow-tomato-sauce
Super simple yellow tomato sauce – drizzled over squash blossoms.

Ingredients

3 medium farmer’s market yellow or orange tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup best quality extra virgin olive oil
8 fresh basil leaves (mix of green and purple leaves is nice)
1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper

Directions

Place all of ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Taste for salt.
Adjust consistency – if too thin add a little more oil. This all depends on size of tomatoes.
Can be stored in refrigerator for 1 or 2 days

So simple – and delicious and refreshing! I also make this with one clove of farmer’s market garlic. This sauce is great on just about any fish. I also use it with some vegetable dishes as a garnish or sauce. It goes perfectly with chile rellenos or stuffed squash blossoms.

Cook’s tip: Make this sauce and place in a squeeze bottle. Sauce should be at room temperature for use.

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