Linguini with Grilled Corn, Portuguese Sausage, and Clams

 

After two days spent in Fall River, MA (one business, one pleasure, and if you've never been to the Lizzy Border Museum I highly recommend it), we stopped in New Bedford for an early dinner.  This pasta is based on the dish I had that day, and it's like summer in a bowl.  Linguini with fresh tomatoes, grilled corn, spicy Portuguese sausage, and clams, in a garlicky lemon broth.  If you don't have time to grill the clams, you can use high-quality canned--just drain and rinse them well, it will still be delicious  :)

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serves 2

(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

10 littleneck clams, scrubbed 

1 small shallot, chopped fine

1 link portuguese sausage (linguica or chourico) - I use chourico for it's spice.  Slice lengthwise for grilling

1/2 pound linguini

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

2 ears corn, grilled and kernals cut off the cob

fresh basil, chiffonade

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/2 lemon

chicken broth

white wine

1 tablespoon butter

olive oil

2 small pinches smoked paprika

optional:  grilled bread

Grill the clams, corn, and sausage (I use a charcoal grill).

When done, I take the clams inside and chop them, cut the corn off the cob, and slice the sausage across into half-moons.  

If you're a whole belly clam lover, go ahead and leave them like this and add them to your bowl in the shell, before you pour the sauce over them

Cook pasta.  While it's cooking, make the sauce:

Drizzle olive oil in the pan and add butter, heat over medium/med-high heat.  Saute shallot until soft and a little brown, then add garlic and soften.  Do not let it burn.  Add sausage, chopped clams, and tomatoes.  Splash some chicken broth and white wine into the pan and swirl all, letting it bubble nicely so the flavors come together--add pinches of salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Add cooked pasta to the pan.  Mix all and place in a bowl, squeeze fresh lemon over the top and sprinkle with basil.