Pasta With Clams And Jalapeño Food

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened.
• Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.
• Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water - this will remove the pasta's natural starches. Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning.
• Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish, being carefull not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In large pot over high heat, bring 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions until just shy of al dente (the pasta should still be firm to the bite since it will cook another minute or two in the sauce).
• Meanwhile, in a very large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, red pepper flakes, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, clams, and ¼ cup of the parsley; bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the clams open, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.
• Reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the linguine in a colander (do not rinse). Add the pasta to the sauté pan with the clams. (If you don't have room for everything in one pan, transfer the clams to a plate and cover to keep warm. When ready to serve, add them back to the pasta on a serving platter). Increase the heat to medium and cook the linguini with the clams, tossing occasionally, until the pasta absorbs most of the sauce and is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. If necessary, add some of reserved cooking water to keep moist. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley; toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, lemon zest and/or lemon juice, if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish or bowls and serve.
• Note: When cooking with wine, select a bottle that is inexpensive (under $10) but still good enough to drink. Avoid "cooking wines," which are salty and include additives.

SPAGHETTI WITH CANNED CLAMS

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, granulated garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast the breadcrumbs, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
• Fill a large pot with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and season generously with salt. Add the spaghetti and cook to al dente, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large saute pan or skillet, add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil along with the garlic and red pepper flakes. Turn the heat on low and let cook until fragrant, for a few minutes. Stir in the wine and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the clams, then turn up the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Use tongs to take the pasta out of the water directly into the pan (this works best when the pasta is a couple minutes away from being done; you want it really al dente so it finishes cooking in the sauce). Use tongs to toss. If dry, add a little pasta water. Add the parsley. Toss until coated in the sauce and the pasta is tender. Serve with the toasted breadcrumbs sprinkled on top.

PASTA WITH CLAMS, WHITE WINE AND SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the clams in a large bowl and cover with cool tap water. Salt the water well and let the clams sit for 20 minutes to an hour to purge them of sand and grit. Drain and scrub the shells well under cold running water.
• Set a large roasting pan across two burners. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the chile, fennel and sausage, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the sausage.
• Once the sausage is nicely browned, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the clams and stir everything together until well combined. Arrange the tomatoes on top, add the thyme, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the clams pop open and the cherry tomatoes are roasted and juicy, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until al dente. When the clams are done, return the roasting pan to the stovetop over high heat. Simmer to reduce excess liquid and to open any clams that are still closed (stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon also helps).
• Taste sauce and season with salt as needed.
• Drain the pasta and transfer it directly into the roasting pan. Add the butter, lemon zest and juice, and the parsley. With tongs, toss everything together to coat the pasta in the sauce.
• Serve topped with plenty of grated pecorino if using.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, until it ripples (don't let the oil smoke). Add the garlic and cook until edges are lightly browned. Add the clams and jalapeno, and cook for a minute. Add the wine, tomatoes and their juice and half of the parsley, and cook until the clams open, about 10 minutes.
• Add the linguine to the clam sauce and toss to coat, adding pasta water if needed. Toss in the remaining parsley.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH JALAPEñO BUTTER

Steps:

• Scrub the clams under cold running water to remove grit and sand, then set aside.
• Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large pot set over medium heat. Add the bacon, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has started to crisp, approximately 5 minutes.
• Add the beer to the pot, and allow to heat through, then carefully add the clams in layers. Cover the pot, and let the clams steam and open, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
• While the clams cook, put a small pot over medium heat, and add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. When it melts, add the jalapeños and stir to combine. Keep the butter warm until ready to use.
• Drain the clams, reserving their liquor, and serve them on a platter, with the reserved clam broth and the melted butter.

MARK BITTMAN'S PASTA WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Steam the clams in a covered pot (a glass top is very nice, voyeuristically speaking). You don't need any liquid other than what the clams will release. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
• After the clams open - it could take as little as 10 minutes - uncover and cool. Take the meat out and strain and reserve the liquid; make sure to leave any sand behind. Chop the clams if they're big.
• Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water. Put 1/4 cup olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the clams and continue to cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved clam liquid.
• Drain the pasta when it's nearly done and stir it into the clams. Cook, stirring, until the pasta is tender and the mixture is saucy. Add more clam-cooking liquid (or hot water or white wine), if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little more oil if you like. Garnish, and serve.

SPAGHETTI AND CLAMS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add clams, stirring frequently for 3 minutes, or until clams are lightly browned. Stir in parsley, olive oil, and reserved clam juice mixed with enough water to equal 2 cups liquid.
• Increase heat and bring to a low boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

CLAMS WITH JALAPENO, LEMON AND BASIL

Steps:

• Melt butter in very large pot over medium-high heat.
• Add minced garlic and jalapeño; stir until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes.
• Add tomato sauce, wine, and lemon juice and bring to boil.
• Add clams; cover and boil until clams open, about 9 minutes (discard any clams that do not open).
• Add basil and lemon peel.
• Season with pepper.
• Transfer clams and sauce to large bowl and serve.

LINGUINE WITH SPICY CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chili and oregano to skillet. Sauté until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Add clams with their juices and cream. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Add pasta and 4 tablespoons basil; toss until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining basil.

PASTA WITH CLAMS AND JALAPEñO

Steps:

• Boil salted water for the pasta. Meanwhile, combine the oil, jalapeño and garlic in a deep skillet over low heat and cook until fragrant. The aroma will tell you when the infusion is complete. If using dried oregano, add it now. (Add fresh at the last minute.) Increase the heat a bit, add clams and cover. Cook about 5 minutes, until all the clams have opened. (Move them around to make sure they're evenly heated.) The clam liquid should prevent the garlic and jalapeño from burning, but keep a careful eye. Remove pan from the heat, discard any unopened clams, cover and set over low heat.
• Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the clam mixture, tossing gently to coat it with the sauce and distribute the clams evenly. Season very sparingly with salt, if needed, and freshly ground white pepper. Sprinkle with fresh oregano and parsley and serve immediately.