With all of the preparation for final projects and exams, the only thing that really can help me relax is to put some hard work into cooking when I have the time. Last week, I went crazy and made split pea soup, sesame noodles, tiramisu, and even more. It’s my release from the pressure of school and work. Presentation? Take that smashed potato! Research paper? I will beat these eggs to a friggin’ meringue.

Last week, both my partner and I had a hectic schedule. To ease the pain of stress, I made a big pot of clams, in a garlic wine sauce, with linguine. Not only was this special and fun to make, but it also gave us fuel to study for the rest of the night.

Now you either love or hate clams, but I always hear about people not liking shellfish because of the grittiness. There’s a simple remedy for that: soak them for about 15 minutes and then scrub the outside of each one. This will get rid of the sand and dirt on the outside and inside of the clams.

Keeping clams alive is tricky if you’re keeping them for more than a few hours before cooking them. Personally, I wouldn’t go past a day and a half without cooking them. Now, if you’re going to cook them in the next ten hours, don’t worry, just make sure they’re out of any plastic bag and are in the refrigerator able to breathe.

If you go any longer, this is my way of keeping them alive: wet paper towels and lay them out on a cookie sheet or a shelf in your fridge. Place each clam on top of it and sprinkle it with water about once every six hours. This will allow the clams to breathe, and this way you are recreating their natural habitat. Another great thing about clams? They’re cheap! They’re only 45 cents a clam.

Now, how do you make clams? It’s SO easy, and the results look like you are a professional. How much better can it get? This recipe consists of clams in a delicious broth, over linguine. It is very filling and really lovely to look at.

What you’ll need:

Olive oil

A pound of clams (scrubbed and soaked)

A bag of spinach

1 shallot

10 cloves of garlic

Al dente linguine

1 cup of dry white wine

1 cup of veggie or chicken broth

1 cup of water

2 tablespoons of oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by slicing the shallot and garlic cloves and sautéing them in some olive oil in a large pot (large enough to hold all of the clams). When they soften, add the cup of wine. Let that reduce and then add the broth, water, and oregano. Let all of this simmer together for about ten minutes. Then add the clams and a couple handfuls of spinach into the pot and put the lid on top. The clams are ready when their shells are wide open. Don’t eat clams that didn’t open! They were dead. After the clams have all popped open, ladle them over the linguine along with the broth. Finish with some parmesan cheese. Delicious!