26 December 2012

LINGUINE WITH CLOUDY BAY CLAMS

You can find these Cloudy Bay clams on line at www.cloudybayclams.com or from fresh seawater tanks at Seafood Harbour in Newmarket's Rialto Arcade in Teed St. Or try this with freshly gathered tuatuas at your favourite surf beach.

• 1kg packet vacuum packed Cloudy Bay tuatuas
• 1kg packet vacuum packed Cloudy Bay diamond clams
• 300g Linguine (rustichella d'Abruzzo)
• 4 tbsps ev olive oil
• 1 large clove new season garlic, sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb, diced finely
• 1 carrot, diced finely
• pinch chilli flakes
• 1 glass of rose/white wine
• handful Italian parsley chopped
• 2 tbsps butter
• salt and black pepper (judicious use advised)

Open the packets of clams and keep aside with juices. Take a large pot of salted hot water, bring to the boil and when simmering add the pasta. Cook for 8-11 minutes until tender and drain through a colander.

Meanwhile, in a very large frying pan or sautee dish, heat the olive oil and ad the garlic, fennel and carrot. Cook, stirring rapidly over medium heat until soft. Add the wine, tomatoes and chilli and bring to a simmer, add the clams with any juices and cook over high heat until all the clams open.

Throw in the parsley and butter with the drained linguine. Toss well together, add lots of extra black pepper and serve at once with a fresh green salad.

Serves 4 very generously.