One thing that Matthew and I were most looking forward to about Portugal was the seafood. Boy, has it lived up to our expectations. The fish has been incredibly fresh and I swear we say every dish is our favorite. In Lisbon it was incredible, and then in the Azore Islands, on Sao Miguel, it was even better. To get ready for our trip, I made a big bowl of Linguine Vongole. It’s such an easy dish to make, but for some reason I was always really intimidated by the idea of boiling the clams. Let me just tell you that it’s incredibly easy. Make sure to buy the clams from a reputable fish vender and you’ll be set.
This dish was so fresh and delicious. I added some leeks since we had them in the fridge {part of my use up everything in our kitchen plan}. This would be a perfect date night at home meal. Just add some white wine and some rustic bread to sop up the yummy broth! That’s my favorite part!
Linguine with Clams and Leeks
serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise
¾ lb linguine
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low sodium veggie broth
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped parsley
kosher salt and pepper
torn basil leaves, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
In a pot, heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil. Add the leeks and
cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly
golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly
golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the
linguine until just al dente. Drain.
linguine until just al dente. Drain.
Meanwhilte, in the pot, heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil. Add
the garlic and red chili flakes and cook for about 1 minute. Add the clams,
white wine, and stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until clams open, about 3
to 5 minutes. Transfer the clams to a large bowl as they open. Remove the pot
from the heat; discard any clams that didn’t open. Reserve 12 whole clams in
their shells; shell the remaining clams.
the garlic and red chili flakes and cook for about 1 minute. Add the clams,
white wine, and stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until clams open, about 3
to 5 minutes. Transfer the clams to a large bowl as they open. Remove the pot
from the heat; discard any clams that didn’t open. Reserve 12 whole clams in
their shells; shell the remaining clams.
Bright the juices in the pot to a boil and stir in the
linguine, clams, and leeks. Add the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and toss until
the pasta is coasted and the juices thickened. Stir in the lemon juice and half
of the parsley; season with salt and pepper. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls
garnished with basil, the remaining parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
linguine, clams, and leeks. Add the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and toss until
the pasta is coasted and the juices thickened. Stir in the lemon juice and half
of the parsley; season with salt and pepper. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls
garnished with basil, the remaining parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
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Have you ever made Linguine Vongole before? If you have any yummy variations, let me know in the comments below. This is such a classic dish, but I bet there are some good modern, or even cultural, adaptations.
xox
