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Writer's pictureCarlos Sarmiento

Linguine with clams in a parsley-saffron cream sauce featuring Croft Pink & Tonic summer cocktail


(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)


Taking a slight deviation from your traditional food and wine pairing, I am so thrilled to introduce a new type of wine based product that can easily be linked to dishes.


Introducing Croft Pink & Tonic…a refreshingly delicious Rosé Port drink in a can!


Croft is a widely recognized brand from Portugal known for its Vintage Ports as well as for its refined varieties of wood aged reserves and tawnies.


(Photo courtesy of Kobrand Wine & Spirits)


The Fladgate Partnership is comprised of three of the most historic and highly regarded Porto houses, including Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft—a family-owned company that sets unparalleled standards.


Great as an aperitif on its own or for the more adventurous (like me), Croft Pink & Tonic, will surely complement a succulent creamy seafood pasta dish.


Let‘s get cooking!


Menu: Linguine with clams in a parsley-saffron cream sauce.


Wine pairing: Croft Pink & Tonic - Rosé Port

(Douro Valley Porto, Portugal)


Serves 2


Ingredients

  • 1 pound of hard shell clams

  • 4-6 ounces (about 1/4 package) of linguine

  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream

  • 3 tablespoons of extra Virgin olive oil

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest

  • 1/3 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

  • 1/4 teaspoon of saffron (diluted ahead of time in 4 tablespoons of warm water)

  • Sea salt and cracked pepper

Directions

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, add linguine and cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain the pasta, reserving about half a cup of the liquid.

  • In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly browned, around 1 1/2 minutes.

  • Add the clams, lemon zest, saffron and liquid from the pasta, cover and simmer until the clams open and are just cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any clams that don’t open.

  • Add cream and stir, cooking for 1 minute.

  • Add the cooked linguine to the clams still in the pan, season to your taste. Turn off heat and toss until pasta absorbs some of sauce, about 1 minute.

  • Add fresh parsley and gently toss pasta and sauce.

Serve it up!

This is a beautiful dish that deserves individual servings, not only for its looks but most likely because you wouldn’t want to share this plate with anyone.


On a deep and wide bowl, place a generous portion of pasta and then add pieces of open clam shells on top and around. Add a little more sauce from the pan on top of each serving.


Bom apetite!

(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)



(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)



(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)


About this drink…

Original, unique and innovative, Croft Pink was the first ever Rosé Port, and is still today, the one Rosé Port that springs to mind.


Croft is one of the most distinguished of all Port houses. Founded in 1588, it is the oldest firm still active today as a Port wine producer.


Croft Pink & Tonic - Rosé Port

(Douro Valley Porto, Portugal)

(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)



(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)


Tasting notes:

Flavors of ripe strawberry, raspberry, cherry and citrus mixed with tonic water.


Serving notes:

  • Serve chilled or on ice

  • Chef Carlos recommends with a slice or two of lemon and crushed ice.

Thank you to Kobrand Wine & Spirits For providing this unique drink from Portugal. Obrigado!


For more information, visit:

&


For finding and purchasing this wine, check out Kobrand Wine & Spirits’ retail locator from Wine365.com


Just click on the link and enter your zip code and local stores and restaurants that feature these wines will show up!


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About the olive oil…


Produced by the Asaro Brothers Company in Partanna, Sicily, this oil is a first cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, but it is also an early harvest (October), single-olive varietal (Nocellara del Belice), unfiltered oil.


Special thanks to my partners at Partanna Olive Oil. Grazie!


Instagram: partannaoliveoil


(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)



(Photo courtesy of Kobrand Wine & Spirits)

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