In our opinion shallots are an unsung hero when it comes to cooking, and in particular we love the British varieties! They are sweet and delicate and ensure that this Valentines inspired pasta dish has an extra special twist. And you know what they say about shellfish being an aphrodisiac…

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes (5 mins if using pre-prepared shallot mix)

Cooking time: 10 minutes

You will need:

800g fresh clams, discard any opened ones

12 whole shallots, finely chopped

75g butter

2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped

2 glasses of white wine

400g cooked spaghetti or linguine

100g double cream

50g flat leaf parsley

What to Do:

Thoroughly wash the clams.

Chop the shallots into a fine dice and cook in the butter until soft, when soft add the chopped garlic and 1 glass of the white wine and reduce slightly.  This can be done up to 2 /3 days in advance, cooled and kept in a sealed jar.

Place a large pan on the gas and allow this to get hot, adding the clams and the remaining white wine.

When they all start to open add the cooked spaghetti / linguine to the same pan. Then add the double cream and the cooked shallot mixture.

After 2 /3 minutes when it is all warmed through, check the seasoning and adjust if necessary and add some of the chopped parsley.

Serve in hot bowls. Then finish with the rest of the chopped parsley.

Credit for recipe: www.UKshallot.com