Spaghetti with clams, gremolata and chilli
Item 1 of 1
- medium
- 10
- 1 hour 15 minutes
There's a fair bit of prep work involved in this beautiful clam spaghetti recipe, but the results are stunning. Paul Welburn serves the spaghetti mixed with a gremolata infused with herb oil, a hint of chilli and topped off with a clam foam make of the intensely flavoured clam stock. A seafood delight fit for a dinner party.
First published in 2017
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Pool bay clams
- 1kg clams, washed well in running cold water
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 3 shallots, sliced
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- parsley stalks
- 200ml of dry white wine
Herb oil
- 1/2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
- 1/2 bunch of dill, picked
- 1/2 bunch of chives
- 1/2 bunch of basil
- 250ml of grapeseed oil
Pickled lemons
- 2 lemons
- 55g of caster sugar
- 125ml of Chardonnay vinegar
Gremolata
- 100g of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 25g of mint, chopped
- 25g of pickled lemon
- 25g of garlic, chopped
Clam foam
- 50ml of double cream
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
To serve
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 tsp olive oil
SAVE RECIPE
Equipment
- Blender
- Muslin cloth
- Hand blender
Method
1
The day before serving, make the herb oil and the pickled lemons. Blanch the herbs in boiling water for 30 seconds then plunge into iced water to preserve their bright green colour
- 1/2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
- 1/2 bunch of dill, picked
- 1/2 bunch of chives
- 1/2 bunch of basil
2
Drain and squeeze out as much excess water as possible, then transfer to a blender and blitz with the oil until smooth
- 250ml of grapeseed oil
3
Strain through a sieve lined with a muslin cloth set over a container and leave to strain overnight in the fridge
4
For the pickled lemons, slice the lemons on a mandoline. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a pan over a medium heat, then add 165ml of water
- 2 lemons
- 55g of caster sugar
- 125ml of Chardonnay vinegar
5
Transfer to a vacuum bag or container with the lemons and leave to pickle for at least 24 hours. If pickling in a container, make sure the lemons are fully submerged in the liquid by placing some greaseproof paper over the top
6
The next day, make the gremolata. Blend the herbs with with 125ml of the herb oil and 25g of the drained pickled lemons. Blitz until smooth then season with salt
- 100g of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 25g of mint, chopped
- 25g of pickled lemon
- 25g of garlic, chopped
7
To cook the clams, heat a large, heavy-based pan until smoking then add oil, clams, shallots and herbs
- parsley stalks
- 1kg clams, washed well in running cold water
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 3 shallots, sliced
- 3 sprigs of thyme
8
Add the wine and immediately cover with a lid. Allow the clams to steam for 5 minutes or until opened and cooked
- 200ml of dry white wine
9
Drain immediately and chill, reserving the liquid in the pan. Pass the liquid through a fine sieve lined with muslin cloth to remove any remaining grit.
Once the clams have cooled, remove half of them from the shells and discard those shells
10
Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente according to packet instructions, then strain and dress with olive oil, salt and pepper
11
Next prepare the clam foam. Add 150ml of the strained clam stock, the cream and lemon juice to the boil in a pan. Using a hand blender, blitz and froth the sauce to create a light, salty clam foam
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 50ml of double cream
12
To serve, sweat the chilli and shallot in a large frying pan. Once soft, add the pasta and clams and toss with the gremolata. Adjust the consistency with leftover clam stock if you need to. Garnish with the frothed up clam foam and serve
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely diced
First published in 2017
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