Today is my wife’s birthday…she’s the one at the Rochester St. Patty’s Day parade, hanging with Ali and Sam and wearing the Aviators. I’m in love with her and all of the ways she makes my life better and more fun every (well…most) day . She’s also an amazing mother who has somehow proven to have boundless energy and patience as she raises a 4 year old boy, a six year old girl, and a 42 year old man.
Of course Brook gets to choose her birthday meal and this year it’s Linguine and Clams. She likes it with a lot of bacon, a handful of fresh tarragon, and a crusty loaf of bread and butter. Here’s how I’ll be making it tonight…Boil a pound of linguine in heavily salted water 1 minute short of al dente. Fry up a 1/2 lb of bacon cut up in 1/4 inch slices, then set aside. Remove all but 2 tblsp of the bacon fat and saute 4 cloves of garlic (worked through a garlic press) until fragrant. Add 2 dozen little clams, a cup of white wine, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a 14 ounce can of Whole San Marzano tomatoes (with the juice) to the pan and simmer until the clams open. Throw out any clams that stubbornly refuse to open. Add cooked linguine and three knobs of cold butter to the pan and swirl around until sauce coats the pasta. Toss in a handful of chopped fresh tarragon and there’s your birthday meal.
Hopeful
Mar 27, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Happy Birthday, David’ wife.
Jillian
Mar 27, 2012 at 1:42 pm
That sounds absolutely delicious and pretty painless to whip together!! Happy Birthday, Brook!!
gina
Mar 27, 2012 at 9:07 pm
I have never had bacon in Linguine and Clams, sounds great! Can’t wait to try it :)
DanCF
Mar 28, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Brook is a lucky lady and it sounds like you’re a lucky guy as well, David. Happy birthday Brook! I hope your enjoyed your birthday meal!