Romancing the Clam Sauce
On Monday evening, I was up to my neck in littlenecks. Littleneck clams, that is. They were raw on the half-shell, stewed, grilled, broiled, sautéed, and tossed with linguine.
The event was “Romancing the Clam,” a celebration of farm-raised clams from all along the Eastern Seaboard, sponsored by the East Coast and West Coast Shellfish Growers Associations in conjunction with the annual meeting of the National Shellfisheries Association.
Held in Bryson Hall on Chippewa Square here in Savannah, there were nine chefs cooking everything from those delicate littlenecks, to Manila clams, to honking big, Sci-Fi like Geoducks, whose edible part is a trunk-like foot or snout that can grow up to three feet in length.
The latter was peeled of its skin, sliced wafer thin, and tossed in a cold salad, Vietnamese style. The Manila clams were sautéed with lemon grass, onions, garlic, and sesame seed oil. Those were terrific; I went back for seconds.
There were also clams with Vidalia onions and bacon, Andouille sausage and tomatoes, citrus and cilantro, with Tasso ham and Rouille, and a handsome rendition of the old classic linguine with clams, spiked with country ham, lemon zest, and a few fresh tomatoes.
That last brought back an old favorite that I cut my culinary teeth on while studying architecture in Italy. I had clam sauce every chance I got, over linguine, fettuccine, and spaghettini, and kept making it when I got back home again.
It’s funny how recipes are never static. They change over time with out tastes and experience, with the kitchen where we find ourselves, and even with the people we cook for. I’ve not made clam sauce in a very long time, now, but Monday evening brought it sharply back to my culinary consciousness.
It’s way past time to make it again. And I know just the clams I want to use in it, too.
Linguine with White Clam Sauce
This is my own clam sauce, as it was the last time I made it. Based on the one from Marcella Hazan’s Classic Italian Cook Book, it has changed over time to suit my own kitchen rhythms, but it is still resonates with Marcella’s spirit, and makes me feel close to her at times when I really need it.
Serves 4 to 6
2 dozen small littleneck clams
1/3 cup olive oil
4 medium, or 2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed, peeled, and minced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Hot red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine
Salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound linguine or egg fettuccine
1. Scrub the clams and put them in a covered pan over medium-high heat until they just pop open. Lift them out of their juices, shuck them (if they are really small you may leave them in the shells), and then strain and reserve the juices.
2. Warm the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté, tossing, until it begins to color, about a minute. Add the parsley and ½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes (you can add more later to heat it up for your taste). Swirl the pan and immediately add the wine. Let it evaporate by half. Add the reserved clam juices and cook until the liquids are reduced by half. Turn off the heat.
3. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add a small handful of salt and stir in the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. When the pasta is almost done, add the clams to the sauce and gently reheat it. Swirl in the butter and turn off the heat.
4. Drain the pasta, put it in a warm bowl, and add the sauce. Toss until the pasta is coated and serve immediately. This is a rare instance when Parmigiano cheese is actually served with a seafood sauce. Marcella even adds a couple of spoonfuls of cheese to the sauce.