A recipe by Jean-François Plante.
- 2 cans of small clams
- 330g linguine
- 4 tbsp. tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 small French shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 4 tbsp. lemon juice
- 250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
- 5 c. butter
- 60 ml (1⁄4 cup) 35% cream
- A small pinch of good saffron (optional, but so tasty!)
- 1 or 2 small pinches of crushed chili (optional)
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
- 4 to 6 tbsp. tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
- Fresh grated parmesan to taste
- Organic or blanched lemon zest, to taste
- Separate the clams from their juice and reserve both.
- Cook the pasta al dente in salt water. Meanwhile, sweat the shallots and garlic in 2 tbsp. tablespoons olive oil over medium heat (regarding 3 minutes.) Then season with salt and ground pepper to taste.
- Deglaze with the lemon juice and reduce until almost dry. Then, deglaze with the white wine and reduce by half (regarding 2 minutes).
- Moisten with clam juice and reduce by half (regarding 3 minutes).
- Then add the butter and melt it while whisking a little. Add the cream, saffron and crushed chili and heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the reserved clams and fresh herbs, then mix gently while heating a little longer (regarding 2 minutes). Drain the pasta and set aside in the pan. Reserve a little cooking water.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the pasta, tossing gently. Add the sauce and toss gently once more. Salt and pepper from the mill to taste. Add a little pasta juice, if desired.
- Serve in four deep bowls, then garnish with grated parmesan and lemon zest to taste.
