No matter what the season, this quick recipe is always satisfying.  Cooking the clams with fennel and garlic infuses them with great flavor.  Finishing with a drizzle of O&CO. Olive & Wild Fennel Oil adds the perfect flavor punch.

Linguine with Clams and Wild Fennel

Serves 4

• Ingredients:
• 4 lbs manila or littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 pound linguine
• 2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 candied lemon, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced; set aside fronds for garnish
• O&CO. Olive & Wild Fennel Oil
• 7 oz. white wine
• 3 oz. whipping cream
• O&CO. Fleur de Sel Natural Sea Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• O&CO. Piment d'Espelette

Instructions:

Rinse the clams and soak them for about an hour in cold, salted water.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan add the white wine, sliced fennel, garlic and 1 tbsp. parsley.  Bring to a rolling boil and add the clams.  Cover and cook until clams open, 4-7 minutes depending on the size of the clams.  As clams open, transfer them to a large bowl using tongs. Remove the clams from their shells, leaving a dozen in their shells to be served with the pasta.  Return the saucepan to medium heat and reduce remaining broth by 1/3.  Add the cream and the candied lemon and stir to combine.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add reserved pasta cooking liquid to clam sauce in saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Mix the pasta into the sauce and toss until pasta has soaked up the sauce, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowl.  Add the remaining parsley.  Season with O&CO. Fleur de Sel Sea Salt and pepper.   Add clams and any juices from bowl.  Garnish with fennel fronds, sprinkle with O&CO. Piment d'Espelette and finish with a drizzle of O&CO. Olive & Wild Fennel Oil.  Serve immediately.