When I was a boy, my mom on occasion would make a certain meal that tasted and felt like we were living in the lap of luxury, even if our family’s bank account indicated otherwise. The dinner was a treat, an Italian classic like the kind that generations of her family ate in their home country: linguine and clam sauce.
Now that I make this dinner regularly, I can see why my mom counted on it so often. Aside from it coming together in less than 30 minutes – my mother worked hard in an office all day, too – it’s delicious, healthful and, at about $3 a serving, inexpensive. It can feed a young couple like my wife and me for less than the cost of a bowl of soup at many restaurants, and when the recipe is doubled in portion, will still feed a family of four for around $12 or less.
Using canned clams not only cuts the cost significantly, but also makes the dish way easier to prepare: no cleaning the clams, pan-steaming them, and then having to pry the meat from the shells. Sure, canned clams won’t taste as good as fresh, but keep in mind that in this dish they’ll be complemented by additional flavorful ingredients such as mushrooms, onions, garlic and capers, all mixed in with the pasta.
I buy canned clams on sale just to make this dish, and recently found name-brand ones for $1.50 at Vons, and even cheaper at 99 Cents Only.
It’s one clam dish (literally) in which you don’t need a lot of clams (figuratively) to make. Here’s how to do it:
Linguine With Clams, Mushrooms & Memories
(Makes 2 servings)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin or regular)
- 1/2 large brown onion, cut into small pieces
- 1 box (about 5 ounces) sliced mushrooms
- 5-6 cloves garlic, cut very small or put through garlic press
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
- 2 ounces white wine (optional)
- 2 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams in juice
- 8 ounces linguine, cooked per instructions on box
- Garnish: Fresh chopped Italian parsley
- Music to make it by: Can’t go wrong with some Louis Armstrong
Step 1: Grab a pan that’s 10 inches or bigger. This will be our vessel to happiness. Stainless steel or nonstick works best. Heat the pan over low, add the oil and dump in the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook them for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: When the onions turn translucent – we don’t want brown – add the mushrooms, stir with a wooden or plastic spatula and cook everything another 2-3 minutes. The mushrooms will shrivel, by way, but will still pack their secret burst of flavor.
Step 3: Now add the garlic and capers, stir and cook another 2 minutes. Doesn’t this smell amazing?
Step 4: If you’re using the wine, pour it in now and gently scrape the pan. Now it’s time for the clams. Dump them and their juice into the pan, mix well, and cook for 10 minutes or until everything is bubbling. This is the point where I also add the pasta to my boiling pot of water so everything is done at the same time.
Congratulations: You’ve just made an Italian classic that’s fit for a king but made on a peasant’s wages. All that’s left is to strain the pasta, scoop the clam sauce over the noodles and garnish with parsley. For extra flavor I like to shower Parmesan cheese on top. Thank you for the inspiration, Mom.
Source: iwanttocook.com (defunct blog)
