more clam linguine

Strike the iron while it is red hot. It is a Chinese proverb as in the West. Very often after making a new dish I like I often would repeat it for a few meals in a short period of time to hone my skill. I would adjust the technique or ingredients. Some time for refinement and some time for the sake of diversity.


I happened to be eating quite a bit of lobster lately. When I shop I seldom shop with a list of ingredients for dishes I planned beforehand. I just buy what is good and cheap and I always manage to improvise a recipe quite well.

This are just a couple more meals of clam pasta similar to my recent clam linguine.
this one is made with medium size clams; there are bits of lobster tails; what is new is I used Chinese yellowed chives

Surf Clam Fettuccine with Shitake Mushroom
I went shopping yesterday and as usual I stopped by an Asian fish monger. They have these huge surf clams for incredible price of $3.25 a pound. They were mixed in with a different big clams that has much thicker (and thus heaver) shells. I only found out they are surf clams when the owner told me why they are more money because they are surf clams. I only knew surf clam from sushi up until now. I bought 5 and they came in close to 3 lbs in total. Needless to say they are huge.

You know you've found the sea food place in town then they guy in front of me is loading up his truck with almost a thousand dollars of merchandise for his Mexican restaurant 30 miles south of town. I talked to him and took a picture of his restaurant sign next time I near Woodburn, Oregon.

Normally with clams this size the meat is very tough. The best way to cook them is slow cook for a long time until they are tender. Not these surf clams.

this mother of all clams is more than enough for a meal - it has relatively thin shells for a clam this big and there are a lot of meat and flavorful juice

The ingredients cannot be simpler. I just saute some garlic and shallot onions and brown the clam meat in whole in butter. Pour in the boiled fettuccine noodles together with the clam juice, and added some Grana Padano cheese. Plate it and sprinkle with some chopped parsley from the garden. For some Asian tough I threw in thinly sliced shitake mushroom for good measure.

a happy meal

the clam is so umami sweet and there is a lot of clam for one dish

On my way shopping I stop by the German delicatessen that I have shopped ever since I move to Portland. They are the best delicatessen in town and may be in the Pacific Northwest. I have seen some German folks from Seattle shopping here. Unlike many nowadays delicatessens this place make most of the cooked and cured meat, and sausages in the premise the old fashion way.

I don't shop there much in recent years now or I should say I won't let myself shop there for the sake of eating more healthy. I bought a pound of my favorite German salami called Cervelat. It is the best salami I can buy around here. I like my salami very dry and this is one of the best. Unlike dry Italian salami this German salami is meant to be semi-dry (dry as in humidity and firmness). Hence it is softer than the Italian ones.
I have to practice self-control