Clams With Pancetta Onion And Basil Recipes

CLAM TOASTS WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 5-7 minutes. Add sliced garlic and cook, stirring often, until garlic is golden around the edges, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and add sweet onion and chopped fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add lemon zest, bay leaf, ground fennel,1/2 cup wine and a pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is mostly reduced but mixture is still a little bit saucy, about 3 minutes. Transfer soffritto to a medium bowl; discard lemon zest and bay leaf. Wipe out skillet.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium. Arrange bread slices in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Cut 1 garlic clove in half and rub one side of each toast with cut side of garlic. Wipe out skillet.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium. Crush remaining garlic clove with the side of a chef's knife and cook, stirring often, until it begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add clams, soffritto, and remaining 1/2 cup wine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half and clams are open (discard any that do not open), 5-7 minutes. Add parsley and fennel fronds and cook 1 minute longer. Taste and season with salt if needed.
• To serve, place fried bread on plates and spoon clam mixture and cooking broth over. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
• Do Ahead
• Soffritto can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until browned, 1 minute. Add the pancetta and anchovies and cook, stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the clams, then stir in the wine. Cover and cook over high heat until the clams open, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the clams to a large bowl (discard any clams that do not open). Cover to keep warm.
• Add the chicken broth to the skillet and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add the pasta to the skillet along with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Simmer, tossing, until the pasta is well coated and the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more cooking water to loosen, if needed. Stir in the clams and any juices. Add the parsley, red pepper flakes and lemon juice; season with salt. Divide among bowls.

CLAMS WITH PANCETTA AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add scallions, clams and the vermouth (if using) and simmer 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, until shells open. Discard any shells that do not open.
• With a slotted spoon, remove clams from pan and set aside. Simmer 2 minutes until sauce thickens. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Serve 1/2 of the clams (24 to 36) over rice and cover with thickened sauce. Top with parsley and serve with the Garlic Toast. Reserve the remaining clams (about 2 dozen) for fettuccine, if desired.
• Cut the baguette into 1-inch thick slices. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle some olive oil over them. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden and crispy. While still warm, rub the garlic clove on the toasts.

CLAMS WITH PANCETTA, ONION AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat pancetta in a large sauté pan over medium heat until just beginning to brown. Add the onions and cook until softened.
• Add the clams and the wine. Cover, and cook for 5-8 minutes, until the clams are opened.
• Remove clams to a serving dish. Boil the liquid in the pan for an additional minute before pouring over the clams.
• Scatter the basil on top. Enjoy.

SPICY CLAM PASTA WITH BACON, PEAS AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put basil, parsley and garlic in a mortar or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 cup oil. Pound or whiz to obtain a bright green purée.
• Put a pot of water on to boil and make it very salty. (It will boil faster with the lid on.)
• Over medium heat, render bacon in its own fat until browned and crisp but not hard, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off fat but leave a small amount in the pan, just to coat the bottom.
• Increase heat to medium-high, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the clams, serrano chile and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring and coating clams well. Add peas and warm through, then turn off heat.
• Boil pasta and cook until slightly underdone. Drain pasta and add to pan with clams. Turn heat to medium-high and stir all together. Add a splash of pasta water, if it seems dry. Add basil purée and toss well. Top with bacon and reserved basil leaves. Pass lemon wedges.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH BACON, TOMATO, AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to break down and sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes.
• Increase heat to moderately high, then add clams and bring to a boil, covered. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until clams just open wide, about 6 minutes (discard clams that do not open after 10 minutes). Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

CLAM PASTA WITH BASIL AND HOT PEPPER

Steps:

• Make the purée: Grind basil and parsley together in a food processor. (Alternatively, hand chop herbs or pound them in a mortar.) Add garlic paste and 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rapid boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions, taking care to keep pasta quite al dente. It's best to use a timer, and drain pasta as soon as it's done.
• While pasta is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed wide pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, fennel seed if using and pepperoncino, and let sizzle without browning, about 1 minute. Add clams, stirring to coat with a wooden spoon. Raise heat to high, add wine and put on the lid. Cook, covered, until all clams have opened, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off heat. (Discard any clams that fail to open.)
• Add cooked pasta and basil purée to pot and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with basil leaves and lemon wedges.