Fran Gage's Clam Spaghetti

Heat a large serving bowl and deep, rimmed dinner plates in a warm oven. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta. Put the sliced garlic and olive oil into a saucepan and heat until the garlic turns a light toasty brown. Add the clam juice (be careful, it will splutter), the vermouth, tarragon and red pepper flakes. Boil mixture vigorously to reduce liquid slightly, blend flavors and incorporate the oil. Shortly before the pasta is cooked — al dente, of course — add the clams to the boiling sauce mixture and bring back to a boil. When the pasta is done, drain it quickly without rinsing, toss it with the hot sauce in the serving bowl, sprinkle a handful of chopped parsley over the top, give it a few generous turnings of the pepper mill and serve family-style in the warm plates.

Per Serving: 517 calories, 23 g protein, 60 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 34 mg cholesterol, 155 mg sodium, no fiber.

Shadow Zone IV - Stinson Beach, CA

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