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Linguine with Clams in Spicy Pernod Sauce

"I got the inspiration for this recipe from a dish we made in a cooking class I took recently," says Tracy McGillis of San Francisco, California. "I added a few twists and came up with my own tasty version."

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 min

  • Yield

    Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

24

small hard-shelled clams such as littleneck or Manila, well scrubbed

1

teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed

3

tablespoons olive oil

2

scallions, finely chopped

1

tablespoon minced garlic

2

large plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1

/2 cup dry white wine

1

/4 cup water

2

tablespoons Pernod

1

/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

12

oz dried linguine

2

tablespoons unsalted butter

1

/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a deep 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until a bead of water dropped on cooking surface evaporates immediately.

    Step 2

    Add clams and fennel seeds, then cover skillet and cook, shaking skillet, until clam shells are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add oil and toss to coat clams.

    Step 3

    Stir in scallions, garlic, and tomatoes, then sauté, stirring, until tomatoes begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine, water, Pernod, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Cover and steam clams, shaking skillet occasionally, until they open, 7 to 10 minutes. (Discard any unopened ones.)

    Step 4

    While clams are steaming, cook linguine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.

    Step 5

    Add linguine, butter, and parsley to clams and toss over low heat until pasta is coated with sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.