Grilled Clams

OK this one will be my last post complaining about Subway School... really I am not crying about school, just my trek to get here to Milford CT.  Kris and I spent most of Sunday morning puttering around the house and waiting for me to go.  At about 1:00pm Kris took me to O'Hare Airport for my 3:30 flight, being the good little Dobee that I am I wanted to get there the suggested 2 hours prior to take off .  As I was patiently waiting for my plane to depart I heard the announcement..."Our plane is still in the hangar undergoing routine maintenance, our departure will be delayed for at least an hour."

The trek to O'Hare's Terminal 1

My connecting flight was scheduled to depart about 40 minutes after this one landed so an hour delay didn't bode well.  So I did what any self respecting business traveler would do, I went to the airport bar and got myself a $9.00 bottle of beer. 

Note to airport bar... $9.00 for a Corona!?! seriously?

When my plane took to the air the Pilot announced that she would be doing her best to make up some time.  About an hour into the flight I mentioned to one of the flight attendants that I had a VERY short window between landing and the connecting flight.  The pilot announced over the intercom that "some passengers have a very short window for connecting flights, please allow them get to the front of the plane when we land so they have a chance to make those flights."  Really I started to feel all warm and fuzzy in the inside.  When the plane landed I managed to be one of the first 4 or 5 passengers off the plane (granted I had to literally step on the feet of a few first class passengers but we all know that those smug jerks deserve it) but I did get going in good time.  When I got off the plane in Philadelphia PA I learned that I had exactly 7 minutes to run to the gate farthest from the one that I landed in.  Now I am kind of what you would expect of a middle aged chef, not slender or sporty by any means.  The run was... well exhausting and I found out I had to leave and re enter secure airport space so I had to remove my shoes, belt and take everything (my laptop) out of my carry-on in order to go through the fancy-pants scanner that sees through clothes.

Note to Philly airport TSA... Ha! you got what you deserved, you had to see me naked!

Anyway after my run I got to the gate exactly on time for departure only to find out that my connecting flight left 6 minutes EARLY!

Note to any airline WTF?!?

There wasn't anyone working at my gate at all and about 5 other passengers were standing there saying...  well you can guess what we were saying.  I went to another gate to see if I could get later flight, I did, the other four were on stand-by.  The only problem this one was scheduled to land 3 minutes before the Budget rent-a-car closed. Sooo, I spent the next 40 (yes 40 minutes) on the phone with the car rental agency begging them to stay open for a few extra minutes to get me a car.

Note to Budget rent-a-car YOU ROCK!

I got a new Chevy Impala for the next couple of weeks!  I drove the 20 miles to my hotel, if you have been following I mentioned that I brow beat my boss into paying for the hotel with an "in room kitchenette" I get to my hotel suite and find that it has a dorm style refrigerator and the tiniest microwave I have ever seen.

Note to Marriott, we need to discuss what a "kitchenette" is, the fricken Motel 6 has those amenities.

I have been enthusiastically participating in my Subway classes and in store training, it is more interesting than I expected but I do miss my beautiful wife and kids.  I have some plans for the weekend too, visiting a restaurant featured on Diners Drive ins and Dives is among those plans.  I will post about that soon.

Before left Chicago I made this East Coast inspired recipe...

Grilled Clams
Start by softening a stick of butter (I put mine on the counter then went out to get some clams you will want 6-8 per guest).  When it is soft take about 2 TBS of butter and mix 1 tsp or maybe a little more of horseradish and a splash ot Tabasco.  Mix that up and set aside.

The bread is ciabatta slice that up and put a little butter on each slice and set aside.

To clean the clams (I used Little Necks) soak them in cool water for a few minutes and wash the shells off, I use a little scrub brush, if there are any icky parts pull them off now.  All of the little guys should be closed tight, if any are open give them a tap on top if they don't close they are probably dead throw them out.

Light the grill, and put the clams directly on the grate, follow that step with your bread, butter side down.  Close the grill and let them go until they are done.  Mine took about 7 minutes, when they open up they are done.

Note, sometimes a couple of clams will take a little longer to open up that doesn't mean they are bad, they might just be fighting the good fight so to speak, give them a couple more minutes.  If they don't open after that discard them.

To serve it up place 6-8 clams in each dish along with a dollup of horseradish butter, some toast and maybe a little more horseradish.  Really the dish couldn't be easier and it tastes really great!  Spread a little horseradish butter on your bread and a fresh hot clam.  It is a perfect light start to a cook out.