What to do with a kitchen full of Heirlooms

On a recent trip to the Granville Island Public Market in Vancouver, I stumbled across a man selling the most wonderful tomatoes with exotic names such as 'Purple Russian', 'Striped German' and 'Black Pineapple'. Being from Australia, I had never come across such marvels. Of course, I had heard of Fried Green Tomatoes, but other than that, all the tomatoes in my life to this point had been very red. How could I resist?

After a few days, with a kitchen full of ripening tomatoes, it was time to do something with them. That something involved Little Neck Clams and pasta. The result was superb. The firm, tart flesh of the tomatoes added just the right balance to the rich, sweet clam liquor.

If you want to find out more about Heirloom tomatoes, there is a pretty comprehensive explanation on Wikipedia.

Spaghetti with Little Neck Clams and Heirloom Tomatoes Recipe
(Serves 2)

25 Little Neck Clams
2 medium sized Heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 3cm pieces
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 handful of sweet basil
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
70 mls of white white
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 tbs of butter
Fresh spaghetti for 2

Method:

1. Soak the clams in a bowl of cold water for about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
2. In a large heavy-based pot, heat the oil and butter over a medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 20 seconds.
3. Gently add the clams to the pot and cover with a lid. After about 2-3, add the wine to the pot. Cover with the lid and gently shake the pot from side to side.
4. Cook the clams for a further 5-6 minutes or until they open. Tear up some basil and add it to the clams. Cover and shake again.
5. Meanwhile, in a small non-stick fry pan, add about 1tsp of olive oil and gently fry the tomatoes on a medium heat for 1 minute. Set aside.
6. Also, while the clams are cooking, boil some water and cook the spaghetti. I normally cook fresh pasta for about 3 minutes.
7. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and put it back in its pot. Pour the clams on top of the pasta and stir gently.
8. Finally, add the tomatoes to the pasta and stir through gently. Tear up a little more basil and sprinkle over the pasta.
9. Serve with fresh focaccia to mop up the delicious clam liquor.