The Old Clam and the Sea

William R. Colagrande, MS

I have yet to uncover any hard evidence to support my theory that eating Italian food improves one’s state of mental health. It’s true, were that the case then all of Italy would be a bastion of happy, content, well-rounded individuals. Perhaps the problem is that Italians eat Italian food all the time; perhaps there is some upper limit that, when exceeded, leads to a tendency to argue passionately about politics, drive on the sidewalks and pinch unsuspecting female tourists. Here in America, where we might eat Italian only once or twice a week, we are probably safe from the hazardous side effects of this overindulgence.

One of my favorite Italian dishes is mussels or clams over linguini, and it is much easier to fix at home than you might imagine. Fresh clams or mussels are readily available in local supermarkets and not at all expensive. I usually get a dozen per person and always watch the clerk carefully to make certain he is not passing any shellfish off on me whose shells are open. A shellfish whose shell is open is a dead shellfish. You do not want to take even the slightest chance with a dead shellfish. If it has been dead even for a few hours, it is likely contaminated with bacteria that will result in an awful case of food poisoning, which is something you can do without.

If I am not going directly home from the market, or if it is very warm day, I usually ask the clerk to put a small sealed plastic bag of ice in with the shellfish to keep them cool. Be sure the ice bag is self-contained or the shellfish could drown in the accumulated melt off. When you get home, you can store them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. I usually plan on cooking them the same day they were purchased to cut down on their mortality rate. More about this later.

Once you have the mollusks safely at home, you can decide if you feel like a red sauce or a white one. Both are very easy to prepare and equally delicious. As a general rule, I prefer a red sauce in the colder months, when I would serve a hearty red wine with the meal. In the warmer months, I go with the white sauce, served with a chilled, dry white wine.

For the white sauce I start by browning 3-4 large cloves of minced garlic (more if you enjoy garlic the way I do) in enough virgin olive oil to cover the bottom of a one quart saucepan. Some people prefer to merely cut the cloves of garlic in half so that they are easier to spot, if you prefer not actually ingesting them. I add some salt and pepper (freshly ground if possible) and a little bit of cayenne pepper to give it some zip. I chop a few sprigs of fresh parsley into it; you can use dried parsley but it is not quite as tasty. Fresh parsley is one of those herbs you can grow in the garden or a flower box that gives a lot of return on a very small investment. It will hold up outside right through the winter, especially if there is a snow cover to help protect it.

While this is beginning to simmer, take your shellfish and dump then into a colander in the sink. Rinse them with cold water and remove any seaweed that may sometimes be attached to the mussels. Bang them around in there, so they all “clam up” demonstrating that they are still alive; discard any individuals whose shell remains open, even a crack. Add the shellfish to the saucepan, cover and simmer for about 10-12 minutes. The liquid contained in the shells adds to sauce; when they are finished you can splash in a little dry white wine for additional flavor.

The red sauce is even easier. I start with a can of crushed tomatoes instead of the olive oil and replace the parsley with oregano.. Again, let the sauce simmer for 10-12 minutes from the time you add your shellfish. Over-cooking the shellfish will give them a rubbery texture. As you can see, preparing either sauce takes so little time that if you begin by putting the pasta water on to boil before you start the sauce and add the pasta once the water has begun boiling, the sauce will still be done before the pasta is. Throughly drain the pasta and toss the sauce into it before serving

The only part of all this that I struggle a little with is the notion of adding live creatures to the sauce to be cooked to death. Being as sensitive to sudden temperature changes as they are, I imagine the end comes rather quickly, probably in a matter of seconds. Even though I realize everything becomes food for something else sooner or later, the thought of mass murder in my own kitchen can be a little unsettling. Whatever qualms of conscience I may be susceptible to feeling I usually get over by the time I’m sitting down at the table.

The aroma of these sauces is out of this world. Sometimes I substitute fresh shrimp, squid or even bay scallops for the shellfish with equally good results; you can even combine them. The sauces are natural, healthy and combined with a fresh garden salad and a nice chunk of Italian bread, make for wonderful eating. They are also easy to double up on if you want to serve them to dinner guests, and, believe me, they will be impressed by your culinary skill. Just because you were not fortunate enough to have been born Italian doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to cook like one!

2006

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