Recipe - Pasta With Cilantro Cream Seafood Sauce

40 Steamer clams, about 2
pounds
1 pound Medium raw shrimp
8 ounce Rotelle, fettucine, or your
favorite pasta
3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
2 ounce Parmesan cheese
1 small Bunch cilantro, large stems
removed; (about 1 cup)
One half cup Fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoon Fresh ginger; finely minced
2/3 cup Chicken stock
One fourth cup Dry sherry
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Asian chile sauce
One half teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Whipping cream

Advance preparation: Scrub the clams and refrigerate. Shell, devein, and
split the shrimp nearly in half lengthwise. In separate containers, set
aside the pasta, oil, and cheese. To make the sauce, place all the sauce
ingredients except the cream in an electric blender and blend at the
highest speed until completely liquefied. Transfer to a container, stir in
the cream, and refrigerate. All advance preparation steps may be completed
up to 8 hours before you begin the final cooking steps. Final cooking
steps: Grate the cheese, about One half cup. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid
boil. Lightly salt the water, then cook the pasta according to the
instructions on the package. When the pasta loses its raw taste but is
still slightly firm, remove from the heat and drain. Meanwhile, place a
small colander lined with cheesecloth in a bowl. Place a 12 or 14inch
saute pan over high heat. Add One fourth inch of water. When the water comes to
a rapid boil, add the clams, cover and steam until all the clams open,
about 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately tip the clams into the colander lined
with cheesecloth. Then add Three fourths cup of the clamsteaming water to the
cilantro sauce. Return the empty saute pan to high heat. Add the olive oil.
When the oil becomes hot, add the shrimp. Stir and toss until the shrimp
turn white. Add the cilantro sauce. When the cilantro sauce comes to a boil
and thickens slightly, add the clams (but not the remaining liquid in the
bowl) and combine evenly with the sauce. Place the pasta on a heated
platter or 4 heated dinner plates. Spoon the seafood and sauce on top of
the pasta. Sprinkle with cheese and serve at once. Suggested
Accompaniments: Green bean and walnut salad and a gingerpraline mousse.
Recipe By : Hot Pasta, by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #267

Date: Sun, 27 Oct 1996 22:27:23 0800

From: Rooby rooby@shell.masterpiece.com

NOTES : We love complextasting sauces that take only minutes to prepare.
For example, here a large amount of cilantro is combined with other

seasonings in a blender and then liquefied. During cooking, cream and the

water from steaming the clams are added so that the sauce acquires a

wonderful rich seafood taste. It's important to use steamer clams, which

open after about a minute of steaming and are very tender. The large

cherrystone and littleneck clams will be tough, and canned clams will ruin

the dish.

Hot Pasta by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison. Ten Speed Press, 112 pages.

ISBN: 0898158575

Downloaded from The Electronic Gourmet Guide

MC formatted 102897 by rooby@shell.masterpiece.com