Two thanksgivings ago, deep into the pandemic, we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving at the coast of Washington. Westport was a small town, with friendly locals and not much to do. But the sight of the waves were spectacular, enough to make you feel small (but in a good way) and wildlife was abundant. We saw deer grazing out of our window more than a few times, which tickled our kids pink. And that was just the start of it.
We sourced some clams and oysters from a small seafood spot, made clam pasta and shucked oysters for the first time. We wrote down things we were thankful for. We spent an afternoon making ornaments to give away. We took lots of walks and pictures. If you think about it, we didn’t really do anything unique. But it was the simplicity of togetherness, of being fully present to enjoy each other’s company that brought about such wonderful memories. Today, on thanksgiving, we’re headed out there again, not to recreate old memories, but to make new ones.
The recipe below uses huang doujiang and the brine from the clams instead of salt. This pasta is rich in umami flavor, and we love it! I’ve talked about using huang doujiang in my 5 Spice Gnocchi with Lap Cheong, and I bring it back again, because it adds depth to any dish that requires salt. You can use miso if you can’t find huang doujiang, but add more to taste, as miso is significantly less salty. I also use some canned clams in addition to fresh, because I am not a fan of the weight of the shells. Plus, it’s a money saving tip. You can still bring the class up without having to break the bank.
Happy thanksgiving from our family to yours!
Clam Pasta with Huang Doujiang
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp huang doujiang, or more if using miso
1 pound spaghetti
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped shallots, from 2 shallots
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry white wine, I used Chardonnay
1 pounds Manila clams, scrubbed
2 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, I used curly parsley
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1 lemon, plus more to taste
Red pepper flakes, for serving
Parmesan, for serving
Parsley, for serving
Instructions:
Bring a pot of water to boil and cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
In a pan, saute garlic and shallots in olive oil until golden. Add wine, huang doujiang, clams, chopped clams and ¼ cup parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook covered about 6-8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.
Add spaghetti, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice to clams and toss on medium heat until sauce is fully absorbed, 1-2 minutes.
Serve immediately with pepper flakes, parmesan and/or more parsley.
Inspired by: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/linguini-with-clams.html#tabrecipe
Hey It's Jen Lou 