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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 2020)
Spaghetti with Willapa Bay clams Dish features local catch, vegetables BY DAVID CAMPICHE Some of our favorite recipes emerge spon- taneously. They are generally coordinated by the availability of what restauranteurs call “product ” and by an inquisitive mind. Many of the wild ingredients are gathered locally and during a particular season, mushrooms being a fi ne example. Recently, I plucked a few pounds of little neck clams from the mudfl ats of Willapa Bay, from the state-owned Nahcotta Tidelands. Later, perusing the refrigerator, I found a nice hunk of ham and diced it into ¼ inch pieces. Zucchini and collard greens were picked fresh from the garden, diced and shredded respec- tively. I gathered r ed pepper and asparagus, both gifts from a neighbor. This is a fun and spontaneous dinner, a one dish repast of spaghetti with clams. A feast served in a large fl at bowl to show off color and texture, then fi nished with a grating of Parmesan cheese like snow on the mountains. There are three separate steps here. The prepa- ration takes less than an hour and serves four generously. Ingredients: • 1 tablespoon garlic • 3 tablespoons virgin olive oil • 6 ounces diced ham • One small zucchini diced into ¼ inch squares • Half a red pepper, diced fi nely • 2 cups of collard greens, torn into medium sized pieces • 8 stems of asparagus spears, diagonally diced, a half-inch or so • 16 ounces of par-boiled spaghetti • 2 pounds of steamed little neck clams, shelled and reserved • ½ cup of white wine • 3 tablespoons of butter • A splash of soy sauce • Reserved pasta liquid, about a ½ cup • A splash of fi sh oil • ¼ cup red chili paste • 1 tablespoon of Gochujang or other spicy pastes, diluted in a 4 tablespoons of water • 2 tablespoons corn starch and pasta water to thicken sauce • A bit of chopped cilantro or parsley • Parmesan to fi nish, fi nely chopped • ¼ cup heavy cream (optional) • Salt and pepper Precook the spaghetti in salted water. When fi rm, drain pasta, reserving about a cup of the liquid. Add a splash of olive oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking. Lightly brown the garlic in olive oil. Add ham and sauté briefl y. Add zucc hini. S auté for another minute, then scatter in the diced red pepper and asparagus tips. Sauté until tender but not overcooked. Stir in the kale. Hold over low heat. Simultaneously, steam the clams with ½ cup of white wine, three tablespoons of but- ter, a dab of soy sauce and a ¼ cup of red chili sauce. I like to add a teaspoon of Gochujang, a hot Korean pepper paste, and a few drops of fi sh sauce. The chili paste and cream are optional but add lovely fl avor. If reduced, the cream helps to thicken the preparation. You can also thicken the liquid with corn starch and a splash of starch water. Add the pasta and clams to the vegetables and ham mixture and marry all together. Add some of the pasta water or heavy cream to create the perfect texture. Toss. Serve immedi- ately with grated Parmesan and desired herbs. David Campiche The pasta, ready to be eaten. Galleries Open Thurs-Mon 11-3 Face masks and social distancing are required. Art Cards Stationary Jewelry Ceramics Thurs-Mon 11-3 seek|harmony 1296 Duane Street Astoria, OR 97103 503.468.0308 in the historic gilbert district downtown seaside 612 broadway • 503-738-8899 www.fairweatherhouseandgallery.com See. Go. Do. Stay healthy Stay safe 1296 Duane St., Astoria 503.468.0308 2 // COASTWEEKEND.COM The Arts • Music • Museums • Classes • Film News • Blogs • Dining • & More
