Summer is grilling season—and smoking is a big part of the BBQ tradition—but if you don’t have a barbecue grill, don’t despair. There are many ways to get grilled flavor indoors; stovetop smokers are one great option. This recipe for a smoked clam linguine from former Chowhound photographer Chris Rochelle proves they’re also good for more than meat.
Lately I’ve been going crazy with my little stovetop smoker, including transforming a basic clam pasta recipe into something special. Without the smoke, this is an old favorite of mine (I’ve used it in the past to win over guests). Adding smoky flavor makes it ready for the big time. Hats off to my smoker!
If you don’t have a stovetop smoker, you can try this hack to use your wok as a smoker:
In either case, you’ll probably want to crack a window.
Linguine with Smoked Clams and Cherry Tomatoes
Smoked clams make a perfect summer pasta topper, but try smoking other shellfish too.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
- 1 tablespoon wood chips (applewood or alder are good choices for this recipe)
- 2 to 3 pounds manila or littleneck clams
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 to 5 medium garlic cloves
- 4 anchovy fillets
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound linguine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional)
Pike Place Market Live Manila Clams, $8.99 per pound from Goldbelly
Shipped from Seattle to your door.
Related Reading on CNET: The Best Places to Buy Seafood Online
Instructions
1. Clean your clams. Fill a large bowl with cold water and place the clams in the water (they should be covered). Let soak for 10 minutes, then drain. Scrub the clams under cold water and set aside.
2. In a stovetop smoker, smoke the clams and cherry tomatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model—or don’t; I took out the wire rack and smoked directly on the drip tray over alder chips. Discard any clams that don’t open. Set aside the clams and cherry tomatoes; reserve the liquid that’s collected in the tray.
3. Fill a large pot with heavily salted water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, chop the onion (coarsely), garlic (finely), and anchovies.
4. Cook the pasta until it’s about three-quarters done (it should bend easily but still be super-firm). Drain and leave in the colander while you make the sauce.
5. Return the empty pasta pot to the stove over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and anchovy for a few minutes.
6. Add the drained pasta and carefully pour in the juices from the smoker tray. Add the cherry tomatoes.
7. Stir to combine everything, then cover and cook on medium heat for a few more minutes, until the pasta has absorbed most of the smoky juices and has finished cooking.
8. Taste and add salt as needed. Grind in black pepper to taste. Carefully mix in the clams, or just spoon some on top of each serving. Sprinkle with parsley if you like that sort of thing.
More Things You Can Make in Your Smoker
A few of these are written for charcoal grills used as smokers, but you can adapt any of them to the stovetop smoker too:
- Smoked Ramen
- Smoked Almonds
- Smoked Mozzarella
- Smoked Trout
- Smoked Sea Salt
- Smoked Sriracha
- Smoked Cherry Hot Sauce
Photos and styling by Chris Rochelle.
