Happy As A Clam!

It was a beautiful day here in Chicago, and just what I needed since I know this is going to be a hectic week. I spent some time with a friend of mine while she looked at neighborhoods to possibly live in, shopped a bit, and then spent some quality time with Adam.

On Friday, I got a hankering for one of my mom’s recipes… and I’d just gotten off the phone with her and she was on her way to dinner! So, I held off until today and asked her for instructions for what I’ve been wanting: Linguine and Clams.

This is one of those foods that has many memories attached to it. I can remember being a little girl, sitting upstairs playing with my sister and smelling the olive oil/garlic/white wine for the sauce and KNOWING what was for dinner. It was the meal we ate with my grandma on countless New Year’s Eve while having a “picnic” in front of the fireplace. It was years before I knew that linguini was the pasta and not part of the recipe…

In any case, on our way to the grocery store today, I called my mom to get the ingredient list and then she emailed me the instructions later. What’s funny is that so many of the recipes I get from my mom have “cook until it tastes right” or “cook until it smells right” and it’s so true! There’s no science to it, just time and using all my senses. So, you probably want the recipe too, huh? Ok, ok…

Mom’s Linguini and Clams

Just like Mom's!

Ingredients

1 lb linguini, cooked and kept hot

4 cans chopped or minced clams

2 lemons

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/4 tsp. oregano

parsley (if desired, I didn’t use it!)

S&P to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil and sautee the garlic a few minutes until aromatic. Add the juice from the cans of clams, wine, juice of the lemons, rind of one lemon, and oregano. Simmer until reduced by about 1/4, and then stir in the clams. Heat until clams are hot, then add salt and pepper. Toss with pasta and parsley if desired and serve immediately.

Usually, when I make my mom’s recipes, they’re missing “something”. They never quite taste the way I remember them, or the way they taste when Mom makes them. Tonight though? PERFECTION! I have lots of leftovers for lunch this week too, which makes me doubly happy. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Mom!

I’m off to mix up something sweet involving chocolate and coconut… what? I’m not sure. Tomorrow is a roller skating day at camp, and the beginning of our annual Follies practice week. My girls are performing “The Hokey Pokey”… wish me luck!

Tagged as: family recipe, pasta, seafood, simple recipe