Seafood Season: Spaghetti with Clams

It is the time of the year when fast food chains start advertising their “fresh fish sandwich” on television commercials, and most restaurants will serve clam chowder as their soup du jour on Fridays. We also know this time as Lent. Dietarily speaking, Fridays during Lent are no different than any other day of the year for me, however we make special consideration for my husband to avoid meat. This means lots of seafood in our house, which makes us both happy.

I began making a clam and pasta recipe when I was a teenager. It was one of the recipes in my repertoire that I would cook on my own. A few years ago, I found a similar recipe by Giada de Laurentiis. We tried it, and with her alterations, we quickly let her Spaghetti with Clams take the place of our old Clam Sauce with Linguine.

The old version that I made used dried herbs and a regular onion. Giada’s use fresh parsley, lemon zest, and shallots, making it taste so bright and fresh. Her recipe calls for Manila clams, but to keep this recipe easier and more affordable, I use canned clams. If you decide to use canned clams, this recipe is pantry-friendly (most of the ingredients you can keep on-hand), and easy to make any night of the week!

Spaghetti with Clams
(Adapted from Everyday Italian)
Ingredients
1 pound dried spaghetti
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
5 to 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ½ pounds Manila clams, scrubbed clean (Kate uses 2 or 3 cans (6.5 oz.) minced clams, drained)
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, zested, for garnish

Directions
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 sauté pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and sauté 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. (If using canned clams, cook until thoroughly heated.)

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 sauté pan and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning.

Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish, being careful not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

His Birthday: Pollo Parmigiana (Breaded Chicken Breast with Parmesan)

I would like to wish my amazing husband a very happy birthday! We both have long work days ahead of us, and he has class in the evening, but we’re going to steal a quick hour in between for an elegant dinner together.

Chicken Parmesan is one of his favorite foods. He’ll order it out, and I’ll make it occasionally. I’ve tried a few different recipes over the years, and while I don't make Chicken Parmesan frequently, I try to make it each year around his birthday. Last week I tried one from my new Main Street Ventures cookbook. My husband loved it, and it may have been one of his favorites.

I have the recipe listed below as it is in the book, however I’d like to point out that the recipe for the tomato basil sauce makes much more than you need. If you’re not looking for leftover sauce, I’d cut what is listed below into a third. (Or, you can always freeze the remaining sauce in two-cup portions.)

Happy Birthday, Old Man Sweetheart!

Pollo Parmigiana (Breaded Chicken Breast with Parmesan)
(From Mainstreet Ventures Distinctive Recipes)
Ingredients
1 egg
¼ cup milk
¼ cup flour
3 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
4 (5 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Cooking and assembling the chicken
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups Tomato Basil Sauce (see recipe below)
½ lb. Spaghetti, cooked al dente
4 slices mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese, grated
4 fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Directions
Heat oven to 400°F.

In a large mixing bowl combine the bread crumbs, garlic, Parmesan, basil, oregano, and parsley, and mix well. Set aside. In a separate bowl beat the egg with the milk. Set aside. In another bowl add the flour and set aside. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Dust the chicken breast lightly in flour, then dip in egg wash. Coat the chicken breast on both sides with breading and press lightly with hand to adhere. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté on each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove the chicken from the heat and place on a baking sheet. Top with mozzarella slices and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and chicken is cooked.

In a large sauce pan, heat the Tomato Basil Sauce along with spaghetti. Transfer the spaghetti with tongs to individual plates and top each with a chicken breast.

Sugo di Pomodore (Tomato Basil Sauce)
(Makes 2 Quarts)
Ingredients
3 (24 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes (recipe recommends Hunts)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 medium size garlic cloves
1/3 cup tomato puree
2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, coarsely chopped
1 ½ Tbs. coarse salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. honey or pinch of sugar (optional)

Directions
In a food processor or blender, puree the olive oil and garlic. Pour mixture into a medium size sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in honey and fresh basil. Makes about 10 cups.

Shrimp Suggestion: Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp

Just a couple of hours ago, my friend Dana posted a comment on the blog that she had tried a couple of my recipes. She mentioned that she couldn’t get enough of the Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta with Basil, and that she had also added some shrimp to it. Her comment made me think of a similar dish that I like to add shrimp to myself! (And thanks, Dana, great suggestion!)

This recipe for Lemon Spaghetti is so easy and so delicious. It works well as an entrée, particularly with the addition of some cooked shrimp, chicken, or scallops. It also works as a great accompaniment. You can serve it hot, or at room temperature, and you can also have fun trying different shapes of pasta.

The original version of this recipe is from Giada de Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian, however a few years ago I started adding Trader Joe’s Colossal Butterfield Shrimp marinated in garlic and herbs (found in their frozen section), and never looked back! The TJ’s shrimp are flavored perfectly for this dish, and all you have to do is put the frozen shrimp under the broiler for a few minutes, and then they pop right out of their shells. This comes together quickly with little hassle, so it's perfect for a night that you want a homemade meal but don't really feel like cooking.

And while this has nothing to do with cooking, I'd like to mention a very cool blog I have recently stumbled upon. 365 days. 365 items of clothing. 365 dollars. (Plus "before" and "after" photos.) Marisa over at New Dress A Day has a lot of creativity and can really work a sewing machine!

Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp
(Adapted from Everyday Italian)
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
½ - 1 pound cooked shrimp

Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Toss with lemon zest, shrimp, and chopped basil.