Recipes

Linguine with Shellfish and Tomatoes

Elena North-Kelly

Managing Editor, James Beard Foundation

Although her father passed away when Elena was in her early 20s, her cooking is still inspired by the dishes he made for her and those that they enjoyed together. This recipe was inspired by a childhood trip to Italy she took with him. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound linguine 
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 pound cockles or small clams, scrubbed clean
  • 1/2 pound mussels, scrubbed clean
  • 1/2 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined
  • 1/2 pound sea scallops, outer muscle removed
  • Freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon
  • Zest finely grated from 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 

Method

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

At the same time, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for about 4 minutes, until softened. Add the cherry tomatoes and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for 2 minutes more.

Add the wine, cockles, and mussels. Cover the pot and simmer until open, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallops and simmer until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 4 minutes. Discard any cockles or mussels that haven’t opened. 

Remove the pot from heat. Add the linguine, lemon juice and zest, and red pepper flakes; toss to combine. Taste for seasoning, toss with parsley, and serve.

Yield

4 servings