Ivar’s cookbook overflows with favorite recipes

The late Ivar Haglund began selling clam chowder from Seattle’s Pier 54 in 1938. Today, most Ivar’s locations are in Western Washington. Spokane Valley is one of two cites east of the Cascade Mountains – the other is Kennewick – to have an Ivar’s Seafood Bar.

To mark the regional chain’s 75 years, the Spokane Valley Mall location is offering $7.50 dining deals through Nov. 17 on Super Clams and Cole Slaw, three-piece Sole and Chips with Coleslaw, and Shrimp Caesar Salad and a drink.

Or, Ivar’s enthusiasts can celebrate the iconic Pacific Northwest eatery’s “clamiversary” at home by making recipes from its new “Ivar’s Seafood Cookbook.”

Here are a few favorites:

Penn Cove Mussels in Thai Red Curry Broth

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk, stirred to blend

1/2 cup sake

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 medium shallot, minced

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 1/2 pounds Penn Cove mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the coconut milk, sake, curry paste, garlic, shallot, lime juice and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, whisking together, then add the mussels. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the mussels open, about 3 to 5 minutes. (Discard any that do not open.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with the broth in shallow bowls, sprinkled with cilantro.

Jalapeño-Cilantro Marinated Prawns

This recipe requires 8 bamboo or metal skewers. If using bamboo, soak in water for 30 minutes before using.

1 1/2 pounds jumbo prawns (24 to 30), peeled and deveined, with tails left on

For the marinade:

1 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed

1/3 cup canola or other vegetable oil

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Zest and juice of 2 medium limes

1 1/2 large jalapeño or habanero peppers, seeded and chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

2 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

To make the marinade, in a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until very smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and add the prawns. Toss, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat. Skewer the prawns and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until marked and just cooked through. Serve hot.

Pan-Fried Trout with Apple Currant Chutney and Garr’s House-Made Bacon

8 strips store-bought or Garr’s House-Made Bacon (recipe below)

1 cup Seasoned Flour (recipe below)

1/4 cup canola or other vegetable oil, divided

Four 1-pound trout, heads removed, boned and butterflied

1 recipe Apple Currant Chutney (recipe below)

1 scallion, thinly sliced

Cook the bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm. Put the flour in a pie plate or shallow dish. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Dredge one trout in the flour and cook skin side up until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, 1 to 2 minutes or until the trout is just cooked. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the remaining oil and trout. To serve, top each trout with ½ cup chutney and 2 bacon slices, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.

Seasoned Flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.

Garr’s House-Made Bacon

1/4 cup kosher salt

3 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons pink curing salt

2 1/2 pounds pork belly (ask your local butcher to order pork belly for you a few days ahead)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Applewood chips (about 3 or 4 big handfuls)

In a small bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar and curing salt, and sprinkle over all surfaces of the pork belly. Wrap well and store in the refrigerator for six days, turning it every other day. After 6 days, rinse the salt mixture off and place the pork on a rack set over a baking sheet. Leave unwrapped and refrigerate overnight. Pat dry and drizzle the top surface with syrup.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to low heat, with about 2/3 of the grilling area prepared for cooking over indirect heat. If you are using a charcoal grill, pile the applewood chips in with the charcoal and light them all; when glowing red, rake them into a pile on one side of the grill. If you are using a gas grill, prepare the applewood chips for smoking: Seal 3 or 4 big handfuls of chips in a disposable aluminum pan (with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil as a cover) or a smoking box. Alternatively, you can place the chips on four 18-inch-long sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the chips up like a present, and poke 10 to 12 holes in the sides and top of the package with a skewer. If your grill has 2 burners, preheat the grill to high on both burners. Place the chips on the grill and cook with the lid closed until they begin to smoke profusely, between 10 and 20 minutes. Turn off one burner and reduce the other to low heat. (If you are using a gas grill with 3 burners, preheat the grill to high on all burners, start the chips smoking, then turn off two of the burners and reduce one to low. In any case, you’re aiming for a grill temperature of about 200 degrees.)

Place the bacon on the grill, over the area with no direct heat, and smoke for 2 to 3 hours, or until the bacon registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Cool, cut off the skin and outer edges (which are super-salty). Thinly slice the bacon and fry in a skillet.

Note: If you’re using a hot smoker, smoke the pork belly for about 12 hours.

Apple Currant Chutney

1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and chopped

3/4 cup finely chopped Walla Walla or another sweet onion

3/4 cup jarred Major Grey’s mango chutney

2/3 cup currants

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons minced pickled ginger

1 teaspoon sambal oelek, or other Asian hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (Meyer preferred)

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons minced fresh chives

Combine all ingredients except for chives in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a jam-like consistency, about 45 to 55 minutes. Stir in the chives and let cool. Serve at room temperature.