Newsletter Home | Market Report | Recipes | Contact Us | Subscribe to Newsletter

Recipes Home | Refer this page to a friend

Mediteranean Pasta with Clams

Seafood Suggestion: Nelson Crab® Razor Clams
Seafood alternatives: mussels

Clams and mussels cook quickly in the microwave and all their juices remain in the dish to flavor the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces dry small shell pasta
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups diced Roma tomatoes (3/4 to 1 pound ripe Roma tomatoes), or 2 cups diced canned tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 of a 4 1/2-ounce can sliced ripe black olives or 1/4 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds hardshell clams, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup lightly packed slivered fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to boiling on the stove top. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (refer to package directions for cooking time.) Drain well.

While pasta cooks, stir garlic and oil in a 10- to 12-inch round baking dish or in an 11- by 8 1/2 by 2-inch baking dish. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until garlic is soft when pressed, about 2 minutes. Spoon tomatoes and olives into the center of the dish and arrange clams around the edges. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until clams open, 6 to 8 minutes.

Arrange clams around edge of serving platter. Toss pasta with tomato mixture, basil and cheese; add salt and pepper to taste and mound pasta in circle of clams.

Servings per recipe: 4

Per serving: 355 Cal. / 18g Prot. / 52g Carbo. / 2g Sat. / 4g Mono. / 1g Poly. / .1g Om-3 / 22mg Chol. / 299mg Sdm.

Note: 1/3 cup prepared Pesto Italian can be substituted for the basil and cheese.

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup pine nuts, or 1/2 cup toasted almonds, walnuts or toasted and skinned hazelnuts (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil

In a food processor whirl garlic, basil, cheese and nuts until ingredients are coarsely chopped. Add lemon juice and oil and whirl until blended.

Servings per recipe: about 1 3/4 cups.

Nutrition Facts:

Per tablespoons: 66 Cal. / 2g Prot. / 1g Carbo. / 1g Sat. / 4g Mono. / .9g Poly. / 0g Om-3 / 3mg Chol. / 67mg Sdm.