white clam sauce

the fam bam went to costco this last weekend and i picked up this little beauty below (technically it comes in a pack of 2 but you get the idea):

 

i got inspired to cook with clams because when i was in chicago, i had a clam linguine that was really good, but it was so overpriced.  i feel like that's the deal with clam anything anywhere.  so instead, i decided to attempt to make my own!  i found a recipe on all recipes (link here) and used it as a guide since i used half the amount of butter and instead of white wine, used marsala cooking wine since that's what i had available, added some crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat and added a splash of half'n'half.  i had to make the white clam sauce white somehow :)

in lieu of measuring, i just kind of winged it with the amount of clams and clam juice i put in.  that's really the key to clam dishes as i've learned from a failed chowder earlier...you just need to add enough clam juice.  that's when the costco sized can comes in handy!

whenever i use all recipes, i always scour the comments to see what adjustments other people end up doing to make the recipe better.  well one reader said they halved the butter and substituted olive oil for the other half.  against my better judgement, i tried that and it was a horrible idea!  the oil separated on top so i ended up just spooning it off and throwing it away.  my mom mocked but i got over it, haha.

afterwards i tossed the whole grain linguine i had boiled previously with the sauce in a pot then topped it with parsley!  it was so good!  i can't wait to make it again.