Annie's Mom's Clam Sauce

Annie from Annie's-Eats does it all. Wife, mother of two young children, doctor...I have absolutely no clue how she manages everything and yet still finds time to bake and cook and blog all about it! This woman is an inspiration!!! I have a not-so-secret-foodie-crush on her and have forwarded the link to her blog many times over to friends. :)

One of my favorite things about Annie's blog is that she has such a variety of recipes for all different skill levels. Since I am just getting back into the kitchen, I found a quick and easy recipe for clam sauce on her website that would be perfect for me to make during the week. I will say this though, as yummy as it was, I think I will tweak it next time by adding some herbs and wine to the sauce. Either way, the original was tasty!

Linguine with Clam Sauce

• 12 oz. linguine pasta
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams, juices reserved
• ½ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
• Salt and pepper
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat until the butter is completely melted.

Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the reserved clam juice to the pan, bring to a simmer, and reduce by about half.  With the heat on medium-low, stir in the clams and the heavy cream.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Portion the pasta into warmed serving bowls.  Spoon some of the sauce over the pasta and top with grated Parmesan, if desired.  Serve immediately.

* Borrowed from Annie's-Eats

Happy eating! :)