• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Why do you like California?

It’s always changing, always moving. I don’t like tradition, where things in your family remain the same for two hundred years. I’d rather have turmoil and disruption. It makes you more accepting of the possibility that things might change for the better, instead of just staying stagnant.

Recipes

* * *

Steamed Mussels with White Wine and Sourdough Toast

Mussels are actually incredibly easy to cook. Our favorite mussels for this recipe are small varieties like the black mussels from Prince Edward Island—their size won’t scare people who might not like the idea of a whole mouthful of shellfish. (But if you’re the sort of person who finds that appealing, by all means, buy yourself some big ones like the New Zealand green lips.) Toasted or grilled bread is a classic accompaniment. We suggest dipping morsels of bread in the liquid that the mussels cooked in.

To clean the mussels, scrub the buildup on the shells with an abrasive sponge or pot scrubber. Remove the beards by pulling them assertively down and then up.

* * *

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SOURDOUGH TOASTS:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 slices sourdough baguette, cut ¾ inch thick on a sharp diagonal

FOR THE MUSSELS:

2 pounds fresh black mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 tablespoons rice bran oil or canola oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup minced chives

4 whole scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

¼ cup minced shallots

1 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Serves 4

Adjust the oven rack to the top position and preheat the oven to 350ºF.

First, prepare the toasts: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the melted butter, place them on a cookie sheet, and toast them in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set the toasts aside.

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. While it is heating, toss the mussels in a large bowl with the oil, salt, pepper, parsley, chives, scallions, and shallots. Pour the mixture into the hot pan; then remove the pan from the heat for a moment and add the white wine. Immediately cover the pan with a lid. Cook over high heat until the mussels start to open, which should happen within 2 to 3 minutes. As the mussels open, remove them with a pair of tongs and put them in a serving bowl. Discard any unopened mussels.

Add the butter to the cooking liquid and reduce the liquid until large bubbles start to form, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the liquid over the mussels, and serve with the sourdough toasts on the side.

Photographs by Sara Remington

* * *

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Purée and Tangerine Reduction

Scallops are Phil’s favorite shellfish, and he loves pairing their sweet briny taste and meaty texture with this cauliflower purée and a tangerine reduction. Seek out scallops that are labeled “sustainable,” “diver,” or “day-boat”—diver scallops have been harvested by hand, which is more ecologically sound. If you can buy the scallops still live in their shells, even better. You’re looking for plump scallops that smell ocean-fresh.

* * *

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE TANGERINE REDUCTION:

1 cup tangerine juice (from 6 to 8 tangerines)

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER PURÉE:

1 small head cauliflower

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or any white vinegar

¼ cup chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SEARED SCALLOPS:

8 large day-boat scallops

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons rice bran oil or canola oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Serves 4

Place the tangerine juice in a small saucepan and reduce it over medium-high heat until it is syrupy, 10 minutes. You should be left with about 2 tablespoons. Set it aside.

Cut the cauliflower into florets, making sure they are similar in size. Fill a medium pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the vinegar, and the cauliflower, bring back to a boil, and cook until the cauliflower