One of the best things about living in Washington, D.C. is being 2 miles away from one of my favorite seafood markets, Captain White’s Seafood City at the Wharf. It’s not summer without fresh seafood from a market I have frequented since I was a child. Lately, I’ve had a bit of a love affair with clams so this is actually the second time I have made this dish in two weeks. If you’re a serious seafood lover, try out this recipe! It’s adapted from my favorite food magazine, Food & Wine. I’ve substituted spaghetti with zucchini noodles, upped the spice factor, added more tomatoes and left some seafood in the shell. Original recipe can be found here.
Now let’s head on over to seafood heaven:
Once you’re home with your new seafood buddies, give them a good scrub before you throw them in a wine hot bath. Pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio. Cheers!
Pour 1/4 cup of the dry white wine in a dutch oven, boil, throw in mussels, cover, 2 minutes later, use tongs to remove each friend into a separate bowl. Then add all the clams to the same pot with the same liquid, cover, a few minutes later, remove using tongs again into the bowl. Discard all the stubborn frenemies (unopened shells).
Save the shellfish/wine juice but leave the grit behind. You will add this wonderful ocean wine into the tomato sauce later.
Once the shells cool down, de-shell each friend and place the mussels and clams in a small bowl. Keep 6 mussels and 6 clams in the shell in a separate bowl.
Peel and mince 8 garlic cloves. Measure out your crushed red chili peppers, add more if you like it super spicy!
Time to throw everything together! Medium heat in your All-Clad saute pan, add EVOO and the minced garlic then toss around… and smell. Feel mild to moderate elation and wish that you could bottle up the aroma.
Parsley is the garnish recommended by Food & Wine, but I cannot stand the taste of parsley so I omitted it. I meant to sprinkle with some basil from the garden, but got too excited and finished the plate before I remembered!
Bon Appetit! I hope y’all enjoy this briny briny seafood dish as much as I do.
Special thanks to birthday girl (this was her birthday dinner) and bestie, Vy, for being my sous chef and hand model.
Mel
- 1 bottle of Italian Pinot Grigio (1/4 cup for the sauce, the rest to drink)
- 2 dozen mussels, scrubbed
- 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 pounds grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 medium sized zucchini, peeled, spiralized
- 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled, de-veined, halved
- Salt and pepper
- Parsley (optional)
- Boil 1/4 cup of wine in a dutch oven, add scrubbed mussels and cover. Remove using tongs after 2 minutes. Add clams and repeat. Discard all unopened shells. Reserve cooking liquid. Shell the mussels and clams into a small bowl, reserving 6 mussels, 6 clams in its shell in a separate bowl.
- Peel zucchini, cut in half, Spiralize and set aside in a bowl.
- Heat EVOO and minced garlic over low heat in a medium saute pan for about 3 minutes. Add red pepper and 2/3 sliced tomatoes. Crush tomatoes using a wooden spoon. The sauce will thicken in about 4 minutes, then add reserved shellfish liquid. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for two minutes. Add shelled mussels and clams, and all remaining tomatoes.
- Add zoodles and mix. Add reserved shellfish in shells, dipping just the body to heat through. Serve in white bowls, top each dish with 3 mussels and 3 clams in the shell. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley (optional).
- Add more red chili pepper for more spiciness.
