Today’s recipe is brought to you by the letters L, C, and S, for Linguini and Clam Sauce!
Linguine and Clam Sauce comes from White Jacket Required, a new book written by fellow food blogger Jenna Weber of Eat, Live, Run. I’ve been following ELR, and enjoying Jenna’s delicious recipes and relatable writing style for years and years. It actually helped inspire me to start IGE!
In White Jacket Required, Jenna gives readers a behind the scenes look at her time in culinary and pastry school, navigating life, loss, and love along the way. Like her blog, the book is written in such an intimate tone – it almost feels like she wrote the story from a diary or letters to an old friend.
I found the book so interesting because there was a time in my life when I seriously considered attending pastry school (which never panned out, obviously!) so it was neat to read about a program I’ve always been curious about, and also because the time span covered in the beginning of the book was around the same time I started visiting Jenna’s blog.
While you don’t need to be a reader of Eat, Live, Run (which you should!) to love the book, I thought getting a deeper glimpse into the events I clearly remember reading about years ago was really cool.
Going above and beyond telling a great story, Jenna includes several of the simple, flavorful, feel-good recipes she’s known for at the end of each chapter. One of those recipes, which happens to be the first (of many!) I dog-eared after reading is Linguine and Clam Sauce.
As you can imagine, we don’t have too many clam recipes floating around the Midwest.
Pork? Yes. Beef? YES. Shell fish? Not so much…
And since my previous experience with clams, up until whipping up this easy pasta that is, consisted of wolfing down copious amounts of Progresso clam chowder in college (right,) and a plate or two of seafood pasta on the Amalfi Coast a few years ago, I was a little hesitant to give Linguini and Clam Sauce a go, but Jenna’s mouthwatering description of her favorite comfort food recipe in the world sounded too good to pass up.
Plus the recipe calls for canned clams, instead of fresh. Surely I could deal with that!
Fully expecting to have to hunt around town for these bad boys, I nearly shrieked with joy after finding a full stock of canned Maine Whole Cherrystone Clams sitting next to the canned tuna and salmon at my trusty Trader Joe’s earlier this week. After draining and reserving the juices from 3 cans of 6.5oz clams, the dish came together in just 15 minutes. So. Much. Win.
Start by sauteing 1 large minced shallot in 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil until tender, then add the drained clams and cook for a few minutes.
Next add 1/2 cup reserved clam juice, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes.
Let the sauce simmer and reduce for a few minutes, then add in 8oz cooked linguine and toss everything together. That’s it!
Top the hot pasta with a thick blanket of freshly grated parmesan cheese, then twirl, eat, and repeat.
Note from Jenna: Hands down, my favorite dish. Since there’s no need to buy fancy live clams from the seafood counter, you can make this year-round.
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Linguini and Clam Sauce
Description
Linguini and Clam Sauce is so fresh, light, and incredibly simple to make!
Ingredients
- 8oz dried linguine
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 3-6.5 ounce cans clams, drained, with 1/2 cup juice reserved
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add minced shallot and sauté until very soft and tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add clams and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add reserved clam juice, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
- Toss pasta with sauce, adjusting red pepper flakes to taste. Divide among four plates and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
Reprinted with permission from White Jacket Required: A Culinary Coming-of-Age Story © 2012 by Jenna Weber, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Each briny, chewy bite of this pasta, accented by pops of fresh lemon flavor, and a nice kick of heat from the red chili pepper flakes was absolutely delicious. Who knew enjoying clams at home, even from the Midwest, could be so easy?!
jennyv 10.24.2012
Chili, with lots of cheese, and either cornbread or a cinnamon roll on the side.
Melissa 10.24.2012
I’m excited to read Jenna’s book. Reading both of your blogs is part of my daily routine! My favorite comfort food is definitely mac and cheese!
K. Bell 10.24.2012
Maybe not a traditional comfort food, but Reduced Fat Triscuits + Sharp Cheddar is my go-to. I swear I could eat it for every meal, every day!
Nicole 10.24.2012
My comfort food is Spaghetti with some home-made garlic bread. Something about the warm bread out of the oven and pasta is a huge comfort to me and reminds me of times when I was young and my Grandma made it for me.
The recipe above looks simple and delicious but I have never had clams before. That would be a first!
Sarah 10.24.2012
Ohh, that looks so tasty!
My favorite comfort food is my mom’s lemon-basil shrimp pasta.
Renee 10.24.2012
Hmmm…favorite comfort food is mashed potatoes and gravy.
Thanks for the cool giveaway….I am new to your blog and I love it!
Celine 10.24.2012
Definitely depends on the season and my mood! When I’m studying, usually I resort to easy comfort foods like peanut butter and jam sandwiches – there’s a reason it’s a classic!
Amanda O. 10.24.2012
I LOVE stuffing…I could make up a batch and eat it all in one sitting. I know, it’s high in sodium, etc., but it is comforting. Now, if only I could recreate my grandma’s “dressing” aka stuffing!
Courtney 10.24.2012
That book looks so fun! I’ll have to say grilled cheese!
Helen 10.24.2012
Favorite comfort food has to be macaroni and cheese. Multiple food blogs that I enjoy have mentioned this book so even if I don’t win, I will definitely read it!
Michelle Weller 10.24.2012
Anything with melted cheese but two of my favorites would be homemade macaroni and cheese or green chili enchiladas!
This pasta and clam dish looks delicious!
Angela Rhodes 10.24.2012
I can only pare down my favorite comfort foods to my top 3:
1. Homemade(of course) macaroni and cheese
2. Tuna Noodle Casserole like my mama makes :)
3. Baked Potato Soup
Kim 10.24.2012
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is my ultimate comfort food.. but I can’t indulge too often :(.
Kate 10.24.2012
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Danielle @ itsaharleyyylife 10.24.2012
yummy! I love seafood but I am always scared to cook it! This looks super delicious though!
Kayla 10.24.2012
I could answer with just about anything — pizza, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes — but I blurted out (in my head) “Goulash!” as I read the prompt. My Oma, who died three years ago, used to make fantastic goulash. She would serve the falling-apart-tender beef and thick gravy over wavy egg noodles, or, if she was feeling authentic, spaetzle. I thought all along it was a German dish, but I learned just recently it’s Hungarian. I really need to make it again…and re-create the magic that was that warm, hearty, comforting dish from Oma’s kitchen. Thanks, Kristin!
katie kitterman 10.24.2012
my fav comfort food is pasta with meat sauce and hot bread and butter! yum!
Katiemac 10.24.2012
It’s called “implash” and it is essentially stovetop shepherds pie without the pie crust. Mused potatoes, gravy veggies, and ground beef. We ate it all the time growing up. My dads speciality!!!
Mandy 10.24.2012
That’s a toss up between my mom’s homemade spaghetti and her pot roast. Both are delicious and I have never even tried to recreate for fear of ruining it.
Meghan 10.24.2012
The book sounds really interesting! My favorite comfort food is my mother’s chicken and dumplings…and a Coke Icee. :)