LINGUINE WITH
FRESH CLAMS
My mother used to make spaghetti with clam sauce using
clams from a can and plenty of bacon to liven things up.
But clam spaghetti day was never a favorite among the
Alt children, and I blame it on those canned clams. The
problem with them is that during the canning process,
they get cooked. Overcooked, that is. Open up a can of
clams, and you’re already dealing with clams that are
rubbery and bland. The only way to truly appreciate
clams is to start with fresh live ones (or, at the very least,
freshly shucked or frozen clams) and cook them as briefly
as possible.
The great thing about fresh, live, in-the-shell clams is
that like they make their own sauce when you cook them.
All you need is a little bit of stock or wine to get them
going, and then the flavorful liquor inside bulks out the
rest of your sauce. When you buy fresh clams, make sure
that they are either tightly closed or that they clam up
when you tap on them. Clams that are gaping open are
dead and should be avoided.
NOTE: For best results, use fresh clams. If they are
unavailable, you can substitute 12 ounces frozen or
canned clams, thawed if necessary and drained. Add to
the skillet in step 1, along with the wine and butter.