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?!
Jill Gentile 10.25.2012
My mom’s homemade mashed potatoes and gravy will forever be my ultimate comfort food. No matter how old I get, they always make me feel like I am five again when I scoop a huge heap on my plate!
Beth Smith 10.25.2012
My favorite comfort food will always be mac & cheese, any way you fix it, it’s wonderful and fills me with happiness to eat it! =)
Jen 10.25.2012
My favorite comfort food is this cream of potato and asparagus soup that a local restaurant makes… it is by far the best soup I have ever had!
Shana Joners 10.25.2012
It has to be homemade mac and cheese!!
Jill Gentile 10.25.2012
My ultimate comfort food would have to be my mom’s homemade mashed potatoes and gravy. No matter how old I get, it still makes me feel like I’m five years old living at home again every time I eat it!
Christine Barrett 10.25.2012
Oops, forgot to add my fav comfort food: CHILI!!!
Ashley 10.25.2012
French Fries and Ice Cream. Can’t go wrong with one or the other – or both together like dipping Wendy’s fries in a frosty. Haven’t had one in ages but now I want!!!!
Pamela Trent 10.25.2012
The book would go to my niece who is 23, went to culinary school and is now an executive pastry chef at a vegan restaurant. She also has had some losses the last few years.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
• 4 pounds bottom round, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup olive oil (plus more if needed)
• 2 large onions, diced (2 cups)
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 pound potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 pound baby carrots (about 2 cups)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Preparation
• Coat the beef in the flour. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary. Transfer to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions; transfer to the cooker. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add to the cooker. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 1/2 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Add the peas and heat through.
Jason Brown, Sr. 10.25.2012
I love lasagna!!!
Sara 10.25.2012
Pizza all the way!
Ashley Johnson 10.25.2012
My favorite comfort food is a large bowl of chicken Alfredo. YUM!
Ayumi 10.25.2012
Growing up in a multi-cultural house I have to pick two: Japanese curry and beef made by my mom and cube steak with gravy and mashed potatoes made by my dad. :)
Sarah W 10.25.2012
When I think of comfort food I am drawn to starches… warm fresh homemade bread, cheesy potatoes and cookies.
Neha Sood 10.25.2012
Mac and cheese would be all time favorite comfort food.
Sue 10.25.2012
My husband’s homemade biscuits and gravy!
Sylvia 10.25.2012
Braised Beef cooked in a dutch over or slow cooker with mushrooms, onions, carrots, fresh thyme and garlic over a beautiful thick cloud of mashed potatoes…YUMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!
Betsy 10.25.2012
My favorite comfort food is pepperoni pizza. Love it!!!!!
Amanda Betts 10.25.2012
My favorite comfort food is chili and cinnamon rolls. Yummy!!
Amy Davis 10.25.2012
Pizza for sure!
Nicole @ HealthyGirlAdventures 10.25.2012
Looks good although I am scared of clams. That is so cool that was your inspiration for you starting your blog. Believe it or not you were my inspiration! I swear- I’m not just saying that to get brownie points. Your posts are likeable/readable too. Have a great day.
Nicole @ HealthyGirlAdventures 10.25.2012
oops. sorry. I forgot to add my favorite comfort food. I would love to cozy up to pancakes made with brown sugar and blueberry syrup on top. Eating this after a long hard day, especially if its raining outside, makes me feel better!