What A *** Up.

[Caran]

Decided to try Spaghetti Vongole for dinner tonight. It called for fresh clams but I couldn't find any. Recipe said could use cockles so I bought two smallish jars.
Followed the recipe. Tested it and calamity. Tasted awful. Looked at the jars and saw cockles had been pickled. I had drained off the liquid but I should have rinsed them before adding them to the pan. I had to try and rescue this so I added lots of tomato purée and cranberry sauce. Also some red currant jelly.
This calmed it all down and made it quite edible. I will not make that mistake again!

[-Talbot-]

Try a fish pie tomorrow, Caran.

[Caran]

I'm ok with a fish pie Talbot, I just fancied something different for a change.

[Jackdaw33]

I sympathise. I adore cockles, mussels, whelks &c but not pickled. Problem is that the price of fish these days is so prohibitive that most of the fishmongers have disappeared from the High Street. If I want fish of any description (when I'm feeling flush) I have to travel 6 miles. I know that some supermarkets have wet fish counters counters but it's never the same.

[AlwaysConfused]

What a clamity! You must have been in a right pickle after using cockles. Glad it was edible in the end. I've had interested run-ins with recipes before. Most of the time I have rescued it and made it edible. But when it fails, I visit the resident kebab van which is parked less than two minutes away from me :)

[emeritus]

One of my favourite dinners Caran but there is no substitute for live clams. If you cant get get them locally then I really wouldn't bother. Have you tried this which is so cheap and really delicious.

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/pasta/linguine-with-sardines-chilli-and-capers.html

[B00]

Believe that's a clamity.

[woofgang]

you can get lovely frozen clams in supermarkets, the brand is the Big Prawn Company.

[Caran]

Thanks emeritus but sardines are the only fish I do not like.
Woofgang I will look out for that.

[mikey4444]

Spaghetti Vongole, eaten in the shores of the Bay of Naples is wonderful. Its a very simple dish and can take only a few minutes to prepare. But clams are sometimes difficult to get, I admit. But persevere ! Most good fishmongers will have them. ( Caran...I bet Waitrose in Monmouth will have them ! )

For a really tasty pasta dish, try Spaghetti alla Puttanesca. In English it means Prostitutes or ***'s Spaghetti. This is because it can be made in pretty quick time, with store cupboard ingredients, in between clients !

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/gennaro-s-spaghetti-alla-puttanesca/#gbTgY0BmKGPggm80.97

[Dee Sa]

I think fresh cockles would have had more flavour Caran.