8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small shallots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 dried red cayenne pepper, broken into pieces (optional)
2 lemons, juiced, mixed with 3/4 cup of water
2 dozen Littleneck or small cherrystone clams (see Ann’s Tips)
3 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt
Calories
336 cals
Fat
8 g
Saturated Fat
1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1 g
Monounsaturated Fat
5 g
Carbohydrates
53 g
Sugar
3 g
Fiber
2 g
Protein
18 g
Sodium
467 mg
When shopping for clams, try to get them all about the same size for even cooking time. Choose clams with grey, tightly shut shells (whitish shells are a sign of age). Knock two together: if they sound like steel balls clacking, they’re fresh, if hollow then they’re old.
When cooking clams, if any remain stubbornly and tightly closed once all the others have opened, discard them. They won’t affect the rest of the dish.
Although most shell fish is sold cleaned, I like to let clams and mussels soak in briny iced water for 30 minutes or so before I cook them. This dislodges any sand on the shells and encourages them to spit out any that may be inside. To do this, add a little hot water to a couple of teaspoons of sea salt to dissolve it then add 4-6 cups of cold water and some ice. Swish it around then add the clams, discarding any with broken shells. Leave to sit in a cool place for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse before using.
All our recipes are created by chefs and reviewed by our oncology-trained staff Registered Dietitian, Kate Ueland, MS, RD, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and meets the standards set by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.