Linguine with white clam sauce - bad recipe!

UGH! I am so mad! I made a linguine with white clam sauce recipe tonight out of a cookbook I have - it's the better homes and garden Bridal Cookbook. It has a lot of recipes in it and we use it a lot, and usually they are great. Well, this one wasn't! It tasted flour-y and otherwise tasteless. I added salt - it was a little better. I added garlic powder - and it was better but worse at the same time because the powder was too tangy and left a strange aftertaste in your mouth. We added lemon juice and that helped (recipe didn't call for it - weird I think) but didn't make it great.

DH thinks it needed more clam juice - it only asked for 1/3 of a cup ... but I had only saved the 1/3 cup the recipe called for. It was VERY thick ... strange for white clam sauce ... but I did everything right!!!!!

It's just very annoying when you spend time making what you thought would be a nice dinner (it's one of DH's favorite foods to get at a restaurant, etc) and it turns out to be flavorless and not even worth saving the leftovers.

DH is taking me out for ice cream soon though ... that's nice!

I know exactly how you feel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look at the bright side..at least you can follow a recipe! I can't without screwing something up!!!!

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Posted by Jenn04

Ohhh I just watched DH's mom make it and it didnt seem to hard but they used fresh clams, some canned clams and a jar of clam juice. Also alot of garlic and parsley and I think thats it. What else did you put in yours?

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No fresh clams -- just canned -- but half and half in this one ... it was more like an alfredo sauce without the cheese. I guess that's a way to make it, thick, but we definitely like it lighter, we have learned :) I used some clam juice, but it only called for 1/3 cup.... just a different type than I am used to I guess! MIne had garlic, onion and lots of parsley too.

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Posted by JBoothIn2008

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Posted by Jenn04

Ohhh I just watched DH's mom make it and it didnt seem to hard but they used fresh clams, some canned clams and a jar of clam juice. Also alot of garlic and parsley and I think thats it. What else did you put in yours?

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No fresh clams -- just canned -- but half and half in this one ... it was more like an alfredo sauce without the cheese. I guess that's a way to make it, thick, but we definitely like it lighter, we have learned :) I used some clam juice, but it only called for 1/3 cup.... just a different type than I am used to I guess! MIne had garlic, onion and lots of parsley too.

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maybe use less flour next time, not sure but that might work if it was too thick. I know with the franchaise recipe i have they say if it gets too thick bc you put too much flour to add a little bit of flour or even add a little more chicken broth or the wine to thin it out.

I don't know denise ... i followed it to the letter. I just think it was supposed to be thick and I know now that I don't like it thick. more than that it was just tasteless .... missing something but i read the recipe like 5 times.

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Posted by I Love my bear

I actually make a good one, if I can say so myself, but there is NO flour in it. I hate 'sauce' or anything thick on my meal. Mine is quite simple just olive oil, garlic, parsley (chopped up), 1 shallot minced, and a cup of white wine (a Must!). I use real clams, (littlenecks) usually or a combo of both w/the can. Turns out fantastic, DH doesn't like seafood but started eating clams after he tried this!

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I need to make it again soon, I was really craving some good linguine with clams and was soooo disappointed. Yours sounds good!

That su*cks. Jen Williams and Sonoma Cook Books (I think it is the seafood one) has a good recipe for it.

You can buy there cook books in Home Goods or TJ Max for a lot less in their stores!