Cycle 12 – Item 154

8 (Tue) June 2021

Spaghetti alle Vongole Jalapeño

3.0

by me

at home

-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with the Family

While I do love traditional pasta alle vongole, I wanted to push it a bit, so I added pickled jalapeño, finely minced, just a couple tablespoons, to see how the spicy chilies would work with the clams.  I was hoping for a successful outcome similar to the jalapeño + anchovy dish that I’d recently improvised (see 12.083 Spaghettini with Jalapeños)

It was good.  Sautéed in oil, the sharpness of the jalapeño was tempered just enough to pair nicely with the delicate brininess of the clams and provide a subtle kick of heat.  Perhaps a bit more chilies next time?  A generous handful of minced fresh flat-leaf parsley as garnish made the dish distinctly Italian, but cilantro could make it taste Mexican/Spanish.   

(See also FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)