Shells and Whistles
Pasta gussied up with clams, bacon and beer
Empty beer bottles, bacon grease and bowls of spaghetti seem more at home in a frat house than a professional kitchen. Don’t tell that to Michael Santoro, the chef and co-owner of The Mildred in Philadelphia. Santoro steams clams in a bath of beer and bacon before finishing with butter and adding strings of spaghetti. The result is a saline, smoky and virtually effortless bowl of pasta, ideal for serving to any dinner guest--not merely those of the frat variety.
Pasta with Clams, Bacon and Beer
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 25 minutes
- INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt
1 pound dried spaghetti or linguini
2 bacon strips, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 dozen clams, cleaned and scrubbed
⅓ cup canned diced tomatoes
1¾ cups lager-style beer (such as Kronenbourg 1664 or Heineken)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil, plus extra for serving
About The Chef
Michael Santoro worked at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in England, Martín Berasategui and Mugaritz, both in Spain, and at Gilt and Boqueria, both in New York City. In early 2011, he moved to Philadelphia to open Talula’s Garden. In 2012, Santoro and business partner, Michael Dorris, opened The Mildred in Philadelphia.
The Mildred, 824 South Eighth St., Philadelphia, PA; 267-687-1600 or the-mildred.com



