Pappardelle w/Clams, Turmeric & Habaneros

By LisaMK

From Food and Wine magazine, December 2011

Ingredients

• 8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 tbs evoo
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 habanero chiles- 1 chopped w/seeds, 1 seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 cups packed whole basil leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1 tbs coarsley cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup gin
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 4 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
• Finely grated zest of lime
• 2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 3/4 lb pappardelle
• 4 tbs unsalted butter

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 35mins
Cooking time 110mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Loosely wrap garlic cloves in foil and bake for about 25 mins, until very soft. Peel the garlic.
2. In medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add garlic, turmeric, and chopped habanero and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 mins. Add the basil leaves, black pepper, gin and clam juice, cover and cook over low heat until the liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 mins. Strain the reduction into a large pot, pressing on the solids.
3. Bring the strained liquid to a boil. Add the clams, cover and cook, shaking the pot a few times, until they start to open, 3 mins, as the clams open, transfer them to a bowl and keep covered. When all of the clams have opened, boil the broth over high heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 mins. Stir in the lime zest and lime juice.
4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pappardelle until al dente. Drain.
5. Add the pappardelle to the pot with the reduced clam broth and toss to coat. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing well over moderate heat, until melted. Transfer the pappardelle to bowls. Top with the clams, chopped basil and sliced habanero and serve.