Lovage leaves are one in every of my favorite herbs of the summer season. Assume freshly reduce grass with an intense natural flavour that’s typically described as much like the centre leaves of celery or a extra complicated parsley. Each flat-leaf parsley and celery tops work nicely instead.
Serves six
clams 1kg, web weight, palourde or manila
further virgin olive oil 4 tbsp, plus extra for serving
banana shallots 2, peeled and sliced horizontally thinly
salt ½ tsp
garlic 1 clove, peeled and grated
dried chilli flakes ¼ tsp
linguine 400g
riesling wine 250ml
creme fraiche 75g
lovage 1 bunch, or flat leaf parsley, picked and roughly chopped
lemon juice to style
salt to style
Begin by making ready the clams. There are various methods to do that however I discover the most effective is to easily take away any damaged, chipped, open or sluggish clams. Then place them beneath chilly working water and, utilizing your arms, knock them about like they might be on tough shores for not less than 5 minutes. Preserve eradicating the water till no grit is seen. Alternatively soak them in closely salted water for 20 minutes. Retailer them coated with a humid material on the floor within the fridge.
Place a big pot of salted water on a excessive warmth and convey to the boil.
Warmth the olive oil in a big, deep pot with a lid over a low warmth. Add the shallots, salt and cook dinner them for 10 minutes till comfortable and translucent. Stir by the garlic and chilli, and cook dinner it for an additional 3 minutes.
Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook dinner for about 7-8 minutes based on the packet directions till al dente.
Flip up the warmth and decrease the clams into the pan with the shallots and add the wine. Cowl and cook dinner them for 2-3 minutes, till the clams have popped open. Take away from the warmth and discard any clams which might be nonetheless closed. Stir by the creme fraiche and convey the sauce again to the boil for a few minutes. Drain the linguine, reserving a ladleful of pasta water, and mix each with the clams, turning gently to combine them by. Stir within the chopped lovage or herbs and pour over just a little further virgin olive oil. Style, season with lemon and salt and serve instantly.
Florence Knight is head chef at Classes Arts Membership, London EC1
