From Jesse Cool

Spaghetti squash has a wonderful texture. The cooked strands look like spaghetti and seem to hold up well under any sauce that you might use with pasta. This sauce is also good served over other winter squash such as butternut or acorn.

1 organic spaghetti squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted organic butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can (2 ounces) anchovies, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon lemon zest
36 clams (such as littleneck, manilla, or cherrystone), scrubbed
1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1-2 teaspoons red-pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Asiago, Romano, or Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out and discard the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, in a heavy baking dish and add 1 cup water. Bake for 35 minutes, or until tender. Cool slightly.

When cool, using a fork, scrape crosswise to pull the strands of squash away from the shell. Place in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, capers, and lemon zest. Cook stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

While the squash is cooling, add the clams, clam juice, and vermouth to the skillet with the garlic mixture. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the clams open. Discard any unopened clams. Add the red-pepper flakes, if using, and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the spaghetti squash.

Sprinkle with the cheese.

Makes 4 servings.
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Jesse Cool is author of Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients, owner of CoolEatz Restaurants and Catering, and lives in Menlo Park, California.
Photo by Lisa Koenig
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