Dinner tonight: clam pizza and grilled salmon

Clamming up at what to making for dinner tonight? Try a seafood pizza, or a moist grilled salmon. Both options will please the pickiest of eaters.

New Haven, Connecticut, is famous throughout the American northeast for its pizza. None is more coveted than the clam pizza. In making a version at home, the trick to keeping it simple is using canned chopped clams, which have a mild flavour that blends perfectly with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.

Prep time 10 min 

Cook time 20 min 

Serves 4

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 2 cm (1 in) pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 prepared pizza crust (400 g/14 oz)
• 250 ml (1 c) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 250 ml (1 c) grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 can (175 ml /6 1/2 oz) chopped clams, drained
• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (450°F).
2. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, four to five minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
3. Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about five minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl.
4. Set the pizza crust on a baking sheet and spread with the ricotta, leaving a one centimetre (1/2 inch) border.
5. Top with the mozzarella, onion mixture, bacon and clams. Sprinkle with the oregano.
6. Bake until the cheese melts and the edges of the crust are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cut into four wedges and serve.

Okay, so clams aren't your thing? Try topping the pizza with some sautéed medium shrimp or bay ­scallops. Or omit the seafood all together and add grated Romano cheese.

Cardamom distinguishes the flavour of many Indian and Moroccan dishes, but it's rarely used with America's favourite fish: salmon. Here, it combines with coriander and cinnamon in a terrific spice rub that perks up grilled salmon steaks topped with a colourful relish of summer vegetables.

Prep time 15 min 

Cook time 15 min 

Serves 4

• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) plus
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
• Salt
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cardamom
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp)  freshly ground black pepper
• 4 salmon steaks (about 750 g/1 1/2 lb)
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) yellow mustard seeds
• 100 ml (1/3 c) distilled white vinegar
• 1 zucchini, cut into 0.5 cm (1/4 in) pieces
• 1 orange pepper or red pepper, cut into 0.5 cm (1/4 in) pieces
• 250 ml (1 c) corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
2. Combine one millilitre (quarter teaspoon) of the sugar, coriander, salt, cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper in a small pot. Rub six millilitres (1 1/4 teaspoons) of the mixture into one side only of each salmon steak.
3. Add the remaining 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) sugar, mustard seeds and vinegar to the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Add the zucchini, orange or red pepper, and corn, and cook until the peppers are crisp-tender, about four minutes.
5. Place salmon, spice side down, on the grill and cook, without turning, until just done, about five minutes.
6. Serve topped with the relish.

Add more flavour by mixing a one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) cayenne pepper, one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) ground cumin and one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) ground ginger into the spice rub.

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