Clam Sauce question - need fast answer

[Alix]

Ok, I'm filling in for the cook at work today. I'm going to do a linguine dinner. I have clams and evaporated milk. I've got no heavy cream so thats out. I'm thinking saute some onion and garlic, reduce the evaporated milk, add maybe some parmesan cheese, and the clams, anything I'm missing? Anyone have a better plan for me? I've never winged this without a recipe and I'm a bit edgy about it. Does anyone have a recipe I can scale to 20 people?

 

[Andy M.]

Alix. You don't have to reduce the E-Milk much at all. That's already been done. Can you make a roux and use the E-milk and maybe some water (don't know how much you have) to make a bechamel?

 

[ChefJune]

I've never used any dairy in any linguine with clam sauce... just white wine, garlic and parsley, along with a generous squirt of lemon.

 

[Alix]

I can do that. I've got scads of both e-milk and clams, thus the idea for linguine. So, I don't need to reduce that much, I'm good with that. I have to admit, never made a bechamel either. Guess I'd better go do a search for that.

Edit: I lied. I just did a search for bechamel and realized I've made it dozens of times. Who knew? How embarrassing.

 

[Alix]

I've never used any dairy in any linguine with clam sauce... just white wine, garlic and parsley, along with a generous squirt of lemon.

No white wine here June. and no parsley or garlic if you can believe it. For that matter...no lemons either! I get my order Wednesday AM, until then, I have to scrounge the pantry for whats left.

The suggestion was that I open a big tin of mushroom soup and toss the clams in with that on pasta. I wasn't a big fan of that idea so I'm looking for better ones.

 

[jennyema]

I've never used any dairy in any linguine with clam sauce... just white wine, garlic and parsley, along with a generous squirt of lemon.

I was just going to say that but my boss walked in on me! He comes first.

"White" clam sauce is nondairy, like June says.

I would also veto the canned mushroom soup suggestion.

What about any of these

Otherwise, how about chowder?

 

[Jeekinz]

Edit: I lied. I just did a search for bechamel and realized I've made it dozens of times. Who knew? How embarrassing.

O

M

G

 

[jpmcgrew]

Do you have fresh or canned tomatoes?You could make a light tomato sauce with just the tomatoes,a little onion or scallions.Bell pepper,a splash of red wine etc and the clams.Do you at least have powdered garlic and dried parsley,basil?Just make it into another type of pasta with clams.

 

[justplainbill]

No white wine here June. and no parsley or garlic if you can believe it. For that matter...no lemons either! I get my order Wednesday AM, until then, I have to scrounge the pantry for whats left.

The suggestion was that I open a big tin of mushroom soup and toss the clams in with that on pasta. I wasn't a big fan of that idea so I'm looking for better ones.

In your first post you said you were going to use garlic.

 

[Alix]

Thanks Bill, pointing out the inconsistency is much appreciated. Now I'll share that AFTER my first post, I did a run through of the pantry to see what all was in stock and discovered the garlic keeper was empty.

Its freaking hot in the kitchen, the A/C isn't working and I'm not a happy camper. So Bill, I know you were trying to be amusing, but you stepped on my last frayed nerve there.

 

[jennyema]

Are the clams canned? If so, can you make something else and save them for another day?

 

[DramaQueen]

I've never used any dairy in any linguine with clam sauce... just white wine, garlic and parsley, along with a generous squirt of lemon.

I agree completely. Italians seldom use Parmesan cheese with seafood, especially clams, shrimp or lobster. Lots of garlic, lemon, fresh Italian parsley and maybe some capers, which I love, for a great linguini clam sauce. Add a pat of very cold butter to the pan as the sauce is cooking to thicken it and you have the makings of a great clam/linguini dinner. The sauce only cooks for a few minutes remember.

 

[jpmcgrew]

Hey Alix,I hope you survived yesterdays frustrations I have had days like that I also have worked in a kitchen that got to over 120 degrees because the new exaust(SP?) fan was put in backwards.The wait staff would bring us huge pitchers of ice water and we would take cold wet kitchen towels to put around our necks.On a lighter note what did you end up making?

 

[VeraBlue]

Sauté 10 chopped garlic cloves in 1/3 cup olive oil. Add 6# butter, and melt together. Add a bottle of white wine and a couple of cups of clam juice. Add the zest of 3 lemons, a couple of pounds chopped clams. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

Cook the pasta.

Drop 1/2 c chopped flat leaf parsley into the sauce. Put the pasta into a bowl, ladle the sauce on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese, more parsley and red pepper flakes.

 

[VeraBlue]

I agree completely. Italians seldom use Parmesan cheese with seafood, especially clams, shrimp or lobster. Lots of garlic, lemon, fresh Italian parsley and maybe some capers, which I love, for a great linguini clam sauce. Add a pat of very cold butter to the pan as the sauce is cooking to thicken it and you have the makings of a great clam/linguini dinner. The sauce only cooks for a few minutes remember.

This sicilian loves grated parmesan cheese on clam sauce...and so does the rest of the Romans, Napilatanos, Calabreseans I know.

 

[ChefJune]

This sicilian loves grated parmesan cheese on clam sauce...and so does the rest of the Romans, Napilatanos, Calabreseans I know.

hmmmmm not the ones I know.. they put toasted breadcrumbs on their seafood pasta.

 

[Alix]

Hey guys. Sorry for my ill humour yesterday. I was hot, crabby and frustrated by finding everything I wanted to use was either MIA or never been stocked in this kitchen.

Here is what I ended up doing. I took about 5 (maybe 6?) large tins of e-milk and a large blob of butter and set that to heating on the stove. I added some garlic powder (Ick but what can you do?) and let that sit a bit. I rummaged through the pantry and found fresh parmesan so grated that in there too. Near serving time I tossed in the baby clams (tinned Jenny, thats all we ever get here) and ladled some over pasta. Served with a fresh green salad and some crusty buns. It was the best I could do.

Honestly, how frustrating. I'd think there was something in the pantry/freezer only to discover NOT. Today's weird moment was while making chili for lunch I went to grab the chili powder only to discover it was empty. Sigh. Thankfully there was a fresh jar of chile flakes and a jar of salsa to hand. It was a weird combo, but it tasted OK. Dinner tonight is BBQ chicken legs, rice, veg and another green salad. Ice cream for dessert as it is too hot for life. I'm currently taking a break under the teeniest AC you have ever seen and am cooling off a bit now.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Vera - your recipe sounds delicious, & broken down for fewer servings is nearly identical to mine.

But did you note that Alix mentioned in the original post that there was no wine, clam juice, garlic, or parsley in the pantry?

 

[Constance]

I can do that. I've got scads of both e-milk and clams, thus the idea for linguine. So, I don't need to reduce that much, I'm good with that. I have to admit, never made a bechamel either. Guess I'd better go do a search for that.

Edit: I lied. I just did a search for bechamel and realized I've made it dozens of times. Who knew? How embarrassing.

Alix, one of the first things my grandma taught me how to cook what she called white sauce. I didn't know until I started coming here that it was the same as Bechamel sauce. So don't feel bad.

I hope your AC is fixed soon!

 

[mudbug]

Alix not only survived but also made what sounds like a decent dinner!

Hope you are now enjoying your success by soaking in a nice cool tub with a glass of bubbly near to hand.