CLAMS, SHRIMP AND NOODLES

I love cherrystone clams, especially cooked with white wine.  I found beautiful clams the other day and paired them with some shrimp. Here's the simple, quick recipe, about 35 minutes from start to finish.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Cherrystone clams, shrimp, fettuccine, tomatoes, garlic, fresh oregano, Italian parsley, escarole, bay leaves, white wine, butter, olive oil, black pepper, sea salt (just pretend it's there)

STEP ONE:



Roast the tomatoes in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Cook the pasta, drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.

STEP TWO:




Pour 3/4 cup of water and a cup of white wine in a pot. Add a bay leaf, a tablespoon of chopped oregano, few peppercorns and a pinch of sea salt and reduce to about a cup. Steam clams until they open. Turn off the heat and let them sit while tomatoes finish cooking. Drain and set aside.

STEP THREE:



Chop about 4 cloves of garlic if you're a garlic nut! The implement pictured is a boon to the cook. I found it in Alaska as I watched an Inuit woman scraping salmon with it. It is also fantastic for chopping just about anything.  It's called an Ulu.  So chop the garlic and saute in olive oil until soft but not golden, just a few minutes. This will give a robust garlic flavor to the dish.

STEP FOUR:



Steam the escarole and add to the pasta with the roasted tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil on top. Add a couple pinches of sea salt. Gently toss.

STEP FIVE:



Saute the shrimp in a little butter or olive oil (or both) and add to the pasta with the clams. Dress with parsley and if you'd like a little punch, some red pepper flakes to taste.  A little bread on the side is a nice touch. And some lemon zest would be a tasty addition too.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!