Linguine with Clams, Chicken Basil Sausage, Tomatoes, and Kale
Servings 6-8
Ingredients
2tspolive oil
½lbchicken basil ground sausage
5clovesof garlicminced
Pinchof crushed red pepper flakesmore if desired
½tspof fennel seedscrushed
2cupsof chicken broth
2 ½cupsof grape tomatoes
1 ½cupsof kalechopped
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepperto taste
1 ½lbsManilla clamsrinsed
9ozlinguinecooked per instructions
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Roll bits of sausage into small balls. Place the balls into the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, and crushed fennel seeds to the skillet. then stir constantly for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet as well as the kale and some sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Break up a few of the tomatoes by piercing them with the spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes while the pasta is cooking.
Cook pasta in salted water, per instructions.
Go through your fresh clams, if any of them are open, tap them lightly on the counter, and if they don’t close shut, the clams are dead – DO NOT EAT THEM. Scrub the clams lightly in cold water. Keep the clams in the refrigerator until ready to use.
While the pasta is cooking, add the fresh clams to the sauce by the handful and simmer for 4-6 minutes (don’t dump the bowl of clams into the sauce because there could be sand in the bottom of the bowl). If there are any clams that did not open, throw them out. Toss the cooked linguine with the sauce and clams until evenly coated. Top with the remaining basil and finely grated Parmesan, if desired, then serve immediately. Enjoy.