by William

I don’t totally understand why folks protect their family recipes. Sharing is the joy of cooking. Another delight in cooking is letting seasons dictate menus and allowing the elements to influence your timing. I like playing in the mud and acquiring ingredients at low tide.

Serves 3-4

Quahogs ~ Couple dozen
Water ~ Quarter inch
Spaghetti ~ l lb
Garlic & Onion ~ More is better
Butter (or Olive Oil) ~ More is definitely better
Lemon ~ Optional
Herbs / Spices ~ Basil, Thyme and/or Oregano
Salt & Pepper

Go get your hands on a couple dozen Quahogs & scrub ‘em clean. Steam your Clams in a quarter inch of water, letting them shuck themselves. Now you’ll find yourself sitting on a goldmine, as the Broth is the key to the whole operation. Remove the Mollusks from their shells, cut into bite size pieces and rinse in their own Broth - set aside once clean. Pour the clam liquor back and forth between two bowls, to remove any sand. Boil a pound of Spaghetti in your Broth until al dente, imparting an essence of the sea.

Separately, sauté your aromatics (an ample supply of Onion & Garlic) in Butter or Olive Oil, then season with Salt, Pepper, and the dried spice(s) or fresh Herbs of your choosing (Thyme, Basil and/or Oregano work rather well) - Basil is the personal favorite. Like many of these recipes, chopped Bacon bits always have a seat at our table. Finally, combine your spaghetti, aromatics & clams, serving immediately.

Inspired by and passed down from my dad.