The Pioneer Woman Cooks (58 page)

11. Top with a generous portion of grated cheddar.

12. Roll up the tortilla to contain the filling inside.

13. Place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.

Stir the cilantro into the sauce, and pour the remaining sauce over the top.

14. End with a generous sprinkling of cheese.

15. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle extra chopped cilantro over the top.

Serve with beans, rice, and margaritas…(if you’re into that sort of thing).

LINGUINE WITH CLAM SAUCE

Makes 6 servings

For one of our first dates, Marlboro Man invited me to his house on the ranch. We were clearly on a roll, having hit it off royally over the previous three weeks or so, and he wanted me to see where he lived. Who was I to say no? Since I knew he lived out in the country and likely didn’t have many restaurants nearby, I offered to bring groceries and cook him dinner.

In preparation for the date, I agonized for hours over what I could cook for this strapping new man in my life—this man whose voice made my knees go weak and whose strong, sweet kisses finally showed me why God invented lips. I knew one thing: I had to pull out all the stops for this meal. Clearly, no mediocre cuisine would do. I reviewed all the dishes in my sophisticated, city-girl arsenal, most of which I’d picked up during my years in Los Angeles, and finally settled on the obvious winner: Linguine with Clam Sauce. I was utterly confident it would be a hit.

The problem was, I had no idea at the time whom I was dealing with. I had no idea that Marlboro Man, a fourth-generation cattle rancher, doesn’t eat fish, let alone minced-up little clams, let alone minced-up little clams bathed in wine and cream, let alone minced-up little clams bathed in wine and cream and mixed up with a bunch of long noodles that are way too complicated to negotiate. To say Linguine with Clam Sauce is near the very bottom of the list of dishes Marlboro Man would ever elect to touch with a ten-foot pole would be an understatement of epic proportions.

But here’s the romantic part: He ate it. Well, he ate most of it, seemingly enjoying it at the time but, I realize now, refraining from throwing out too many effusive compliments, probably out of fear I’d cook it again sometime. But he did eat it. And lucky for him, his phone rang when he was more than halfway through our meal together. He’d been expecting an important call, he said, and excused himself for a good ten minutes. I didn’t want him to go away hungry, though, so when I sensed he was close to getting off the phone, I took his plate to the stove, heaped another steaming pile of Linguine with Clam Sauce on his plate, and returned to the table. The new object of my affection smiled politely, sat down, and polished off over half of his second helping before finally pushing away from the table and announcing, “Boy, am I stuffed!” He later told me he hoped a prairie fire would break out so he’d have an excuse to leave.

Knowing what I know now about the breadth of my husband’s culinary repertoire—one consisting primarily of meat, potatoes, salad, bread, and Dr Pepper—and his complete in-ability to consume anything he remotely considers gross, the memory of him systematically forcing each bite of Linguine with Clam Sauce down his throat over ten years ago still makes my heart go pitter-pat. And through the years, if I’ve ever, even for a moment, doubted the extent of Marlboro Man’s affections for me, I’ve had only to remember the simple words Linguine with Clam Sauce, and a warm, contented smile immediately floods my face.

1 pound linguine1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoons butter3 garlic cloves, mincedTwo 10-ounce cans chopped clams, drained, juice reserved¾ cup white wineJuice of ½ lemon, plus lemon slices for garnish2 tablespoons flatleaf parsley, chopped¾ cup heavy creamSalt and freshly ground black pepper to tasteGrated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Cook the linguine according to the package directions, being careful not to overcook. Pasta should have plenty of “bite” to it.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Using both olive oil and butter allows you to heat the mixture at a higher heat before it starts to brown.

3. Add the garlic and clams and stir together. Cook for 3 minutes.

4. Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with the spoon. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and less watery. Add in 1 more tablespoon butter and stir to melt.

5. Reduce the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice.