By: Jodie Shield, RD

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to eat more seafood and to use more  fresh ingredients. Here is a recipe for Linguine with White Clam Sauce that incorporates both. My mom gave me this recipe years ago when I was dating my husband.  It is so amazingly light and delicious, my husband claims it sealed our marriage deal!  I highly recommend that you use fleshly squeezed lemon juice and grated lemon rind – the flavor is so much better.  I know you’ll fall in love with my Linguine and White Clam Sauce recipe – my husband sure did!

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cans (10 oz) fancy whole baby clams, premium quality

1 small onion, chopped  (about 1/2 cup)

3 garlic cloves, mined

1/3 cup good olive oil (I love Olio Santo extra virgin olive oil, first cold press)

2 tablespoons butter

2  teaspoons oregano

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

8 oz (half-package) linguine ( I use whole grain)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley (optional)

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• Drain the juice from the clams and set a side.
• Start boiling a large pot of water for the linguine.  Be sure to toss in a pinch of salt as this will help prevent the noodles from sticking. When the water is boiling, cook the linguine as indicated on the package.
• Melt the butter and heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender, but not brown – about 5 minutes.  Not sure how to sauté? Check out this You Tube video from Better Homes and Gardens.
• Add the clam juice, oregano, and pepper to the sautéed onions and garlic.  Bring everything to a boil over high heat.  Cook until the sauce is reduced to about 2 cups – this takes about 5 minutes.
• Lower the heat under the clam juice mixture; add the clams, parsley, lemon rind and lemon juice.  Heat thoroughly.
• Toss the white clam sauce with the hot linguine and serve.

Nutrition Information per serving:

460 calories

13.5 grams protein

46.5 grams carbohydrate

4 grams dietary fiber

25 grams fat

6 grams saturated fat

28 milligrams cholesterol

465 milligrams sodium