Our cookbook of the week is Lure by sustainable seafood champion and executive chef Ned Bell with Valerie Howes. Over the next four days, we’ll feature recipes from the book and an interview with its authors.

To try another recipe from the book, check out: West Coast bouillabaisse; and roasted scallops with grapefruit, brown butter and thyme.

Clams are the focal point of this comforting one-pot pasta dish. The affordable and sustainable shellfish is in season year-round, and is delicious baked, raw or steamed, Ned Bell says.

Here, clam juice mingles with white wine, shallots and garlic to create a light pasta sauce spiked with chilli flakes. Bell recommends littleneck, Manila or savoury (a.k.a. purple varnish) clams for the weeknight-friendly meal.

“The flavour and textural differences between the Pacific clam species are subtle enough that I just use the freshest available, whatever dish I’m making,” Bell writes.

And hang onto the shells, he suggests. Add them to a stock pot with aromatics and fish bones for an excellent seafood stock.

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS, CHILI AND OLIVE OIL

Serves: 4

3 lb (1.4 kg) live clams such as littleneck, Manila, or savoury (purple varnish)
1 lb (450 g) dried spaghetti
½ cup (125 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp (5 mL) chili flakes
¼ cup (50 mL) clam juice
¼ cup (50 mL) dry white wine
3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Warm crusty bread, to serve

Step 1

Rinse the clams under cold water for at least 5 minutes, and discard any that are open and won’t close when tapped or that have broken shells. Scrub off any debris.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to manufacturer’s instructions. Drain the pasta.

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a large shallow sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and chili flakes and sauté for another minute. Add the clams and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the clam juice and wine, cover, and allow clams to steam for 2 to 3 minutes or until opened. Discard any that haven’t opened. Stir in the cooked, drained pasta, parsley, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide among bowls and serve immediately with buttered slices of warm bread.

Recipe excerpted from Lure: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the West Coast by Ned Bell with Valerie Howes (Figure 1 Publishing).