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