Clam & Shrimp Truffled Pasta

In a hurry? Try a two dish meal and boom, served and done with even more time to socialize “🍷.”  I like to do a grilled meat and then add a pasta side with enough veggies and seafood mixed in so it can stand on its own (for the non meat eaters, or whatever they call themselves now.)

This is a real crowd pleaser and packed with a lot of flavor form the Pernod, basil, garlic, white truffle butter and shallots. Pernod, if you are not aware, is a successor of absinthe, the then popular 19th century knock-you-on-your-back-liquor.  Two of our former associates of work got into the absinthe at the Four Seasons bar in DC and were eventually sent home at 7PM when they could no longer speak.   When this liquor is cooked with butter, it has a licorice-like finish that pairs well with the basil in this recipe.

This pasta goes well with our world famous 🐄 Bone-in Rib-Eyes

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of unsalted butter, separated
• 3 tablespoons of Pernod
• 2 cups shallots, rough chopped
• 1 cup red onion, rough chopped
• 4 cups zucchini, rough chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 pounds fettuchine
• 2 cups fresh basil, chopped
• 3 egg yokes at room temperature
• 1 cup feta cheese in brine, drained and crumbled
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 pounds little neck clams, grilled
• 3 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined and butter pouched
• 1/2 cup chives, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Making It

• Put the clams in a bowl of cold water and 1/4 cup of all purpose flour to get them to spit out any sand
• Throw a stick (8 tablespoons) of the butter into a tall All-Clad sauté pan with the taller sides,  that is over a medium flame.  Toss it  in loudly so your guests know who is in charge.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, teaspoon of salt
• Bring water in a large pot to a rolling boil, add two tablespoons of kosher salt and 1/4 cup of olive oil
• Set your grille on a medium heat and roast the clams until the pop open, take off immediately and put in a bowl with the juices
• When butter has melted add the onion, shallots, and red pepper flakes, sauté for 8 minutes, until translucent’
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook two minutes under the minimum suggested cooking time, usually 6 minutes, remove al dente and add to sautéed vegetables
• Add the garlic,  zucchini, shrimp and basil.  Sauté for 4 minutes
• Add the pasta to the vegetables
• Add the grilled clams (great smokey taste)… Grace loved them!
• Add the truffle butter and egg yokes and they have dissolved into the past add the cream and 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
• Take off heat, add the chives and feta
• Salt and pepper to taste