iphone mcb

This classic Italian dish, (Linguine con le Vongole) is so full of flavor and so easy to make, you’ll wonder why you don’t eat it more often. Easy is the operative word here. Serve with a crusty Italian bread, fresh salad greens and a crisp white wine to complement the butter, garlicky, meaty and spicy clams.

Linguine with Clams
Serves 4

Cook’s note: Yep. I used Bumble Bee canned baby clams for this recipe. The recipe directions don’t change whether you use canned, fresh or frozen in the shell clams. If you use clams in the shell, at Step 4, cover the skillet and wait until the clams open before adding the pasta (about four to five minutes). Discard any unopened clams before serving. If you are cooking for one, cut the ingredients by 1/4. If you are cooking for two, cut by half. The method remains the same.

1/2 pound to 3/4 pound linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed, then sliced thin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
5 ounce clam meat, canned with juice
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
Zest from 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
Black pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining pasta, reserve 1 cup water. Drain pasta liquid in the pan and place on the burner at low, put pasta in colendar over steaming water to keep pasta warm.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet on medium heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook one to two minutes, careful not to brown (or burn) the garlic.
3. Add the white wine, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer three to four minutes to reduce the liquid.
4. Add the clam meat and liquid, stir and cook for about two to three minutes to heat the clam meat and further reduce the liquid.
5. Pour a little of the reserved pasta water over the pasta to loosen it up if it is sticky.
6. Add the pasta to the clams. Lift and stir pasta in the pan. Add a little of the reserved water if necessary.
7. Divide pasta and clams between four bowls. Sprinkle parsley and zest lemon over the top.
8. Serve immediately.

About Maureen C. Berry

I’m a flat-out, irrefutable seafood geek, writer and cook. And when I’m not, I take naps. I help people make better choices with all things seafood-related. Are you hungry for more articles about sustainable seafood, ocean conservation and the environment? Or maybe you can’t wait to read more about my upcoming book EATING SALMON? Sign up now to have my posts delivered directly to your inbox. Join me on Twitter and Facebook.