Little Neck Steamers and Linguine Recipe

A summertime Shore classic dinner, this recipe makes a easy meal for a relaxing evening at a shore house.  Sit back and enjoy the sunset.

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Little Neck Steamers and Linguine Recipe Serves :      2  with extra pasta                                           Prep Time:     15 min                              Cook Time: 15  min INGREDIENTS Little Neck Steamers 2 dozen Little Neck clams 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup white wine 1 onion chopped 3 tablespoons basil pesto 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 7 cloves garlic 1/2 lemon, juice and zest ½ cup Chicken stock or clam broth Linguine 1 pound Linguine 2 tablespoons Olive Oil ½ cup parmesan cheese ½ lemon, zest and juice ½ lb fresh baby spinach (optional) 3-4 tablespoons Chopped fresh Italian parsley Crushed red pepper flakes DIRECTIONS Place clams in large pot of water to soak for ½ hour to clean out sand.  Drain clams. Melt butter in pan, sauté onion until tender. Add garlic, chopped parsley, lemon zest and juice, wine, chicken stock and simmer. Add clams, cover and steam for until all or most of clams have opened (about 8-10 minutes).  Discard any unopened clams.  Serve clams alone, over pasta or with a good artisan bread for dipping. Linguine Cook pound of pasta according to package directions, drain (reserving 1 cup of cooking water), toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2-4 big fistfuls of baby spinach. Add the zest and juice of ½ lemon, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese.  Stir and add enough pasta water to loosen and coat pasta.  (Sauce will come with the clams!)  Season with salt and pepper and Serve alongside clams with crushed red pepper flakes.  Add Chopped fresh Italian Parsley if available.