The snow is deep in Maine’s Busman’s Harbor and the mighty rivers are covered in ice. Snowden Family Clambake Company proprietor Julia Snowden and her mother, Jacqueline, are hunkered down for the winter when a mysterious package arrives—heating up February with an unexpected case of murder . . .
Inside the mystery package is an enormous black diamond necklace that once belonged to Julia’s great-grandmother and disappeared in the 1920s. Who could have sent it—and why? Julia’s search for clues takes her on a perilous journey through her mother’s troubled family history, from a squabble over the family fortune in “frozen water” to the recent unexplained death of Jacqueline’s long-lost cousin Hugh—who’d been missing and presumed drowned for more than forty years. To protect her mother’s inheritance, Julia must fend off a small army of feuding relatives, solve the mystery surrounding Hugh’s demise, and get back home before the next blizzard buries them all . . .
Daily Catch Monkfish Marsala
Once I knew I would set a scene in the story at the Daily Catch, I couldn’t resist including my favorite
dish there, Monkfish Marsala, which is also a signature dish.
INGREDIENTS FOR DAILY CATCH MONKFISH MARSALA
1 pound monkfish filets, trimmed and cut into thin medallions
½ Tablespoon olive oil
½ Tablespoon canola oil
1 cup flour
½ pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tablespoon butter
salt and pepper
½ Tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MONKFISH MARSALA
Heat the olive oil and canola oil over high heat in a large pan, until just about smoking.
Season the monkfish medallions with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour. Carefully place the floured medallions in the hot pan and sear until nice and golden brown.
Once browned, flip each piece and add the mushrooms. Cook for a minute until mushrooms begin to soften. Carefully deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine. The wine will ignite into a flame and continue to burn until all the alcohol has been cooked off. Gently shake the pan during this process to keep the flame going.
Once flame has finished, add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer and let Marsala wine reduce and monkfish cook. Once wine has thickened into a sauce, add the butter and gently swirl the pan as it melts. If sauce is too thick and not enough liquid is in pan, add a few drops of water.
Once butter has melted and incorporated into sauce, remove from heat and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Serves two
The snow is deep in Maine’s Busman’s Harbor and the mighty rivers are covered in ice. Snowden Family Clambake Company proprietor Julia Snowden and her mother, Jacqueline, are hunkered down for the winter when a mysterious package arrives—heating up February with an unexpected case of murder . . .
Inside the mystery package is an enormous black diamond necklace that once belonged to Julia’s great-grandmother and disappeared in the 1920s. Who could have sent it—and why? Julia’s search for clues takes her on a perilous journey through her mother’s troubled family history, from a squabble over the family fortune in “frozen water” to the recent unexplained death of Jacqueline’s long-lost cousin Hugh—who’d been missing and presumed drowned for more than forty years. To protect her mother’s inheritance, Julia must fend off a small army of feuding relatives, solve the mystery surrounding Hugh’s demise, and get back home before the next blizzard buries them all . . .
Praise for Musseled Out
“This cozy series continues to stand out with its exceptional plotting, intriguing storylines, and authentic detailing of the lobstering life.” —RT Book Reviews
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