After weeks of holiday entertaining, January cooking often swings between extremes. Either you are exhausted and reaching for whatever is fastest, or you are trying to be overly disciplined in a way that quickly becomes unsustainable.
Chef Scott Conant lives somewhere in the middle. The longtime restaurateur believes eating cleaner does not mean sacrificing flavor. It means choosing quality ingredients, focusing on vegetables and proteins and understanding how flavors work together.
That approach carries through Conant’s newest chapter, Martone Street. Named after the Connecticut street where his grandfather built the family home after immigrating from Southern Italy, it is where Conant learned to cook alongside his grandmother and mother. His mother still lives on Martone Street today, and the basil his grandfather planted continues to grow in the garden.
After nearly four decades in professional kitchens, Conant wanted to bring those early food memories into home kitchens. The sauces are made with fresh tomatoes and simple ingredients, designed to act as a base that home cooks can build on.
As Conant approaches his 40th year cooking professionally, his philosophy has become simpler. The dishes he returns to now are especially realistic for home cooks looking to reset after the holidays.
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Below, Conant shares how he thinks about cooking in the New Year, followed by a favorite recipe that delivers restaurant-level results with surprisingly little effort.
When you are cooking at home in the New Year, what does eating cleaner mean to you?
A lean protein diet with vegetables is the way to go. I allow myself certain sweet treats here and there, but could admittedly get away from me so I try to keep it as clean as possible with high protein and a lot of vegetables.
How can home cooks create restaurant quality meals at home without making the process feel complicated?
For me, good cooking is all about two things. The quality of the ingredients and the extraction of the flavors of those ingredients as well as infusing flavors into those great ingredients. That’s what cooking is for me, whether in a restaurant or at home.
How do you recommend using Martone Street sauces to build quick, high quality meals after a busy season of entertaining?
Martone Street tomato sauces are great bases for other flavors to build on. For example, my Linguine Clams recipe (see below) is a layered dish with lean protein, and the anchovies not only add flavor but also additional nutrients for a well-balanced and flavorful meal.
What ingredients or techniques do you rely on most to elevate simple dishes when time is limited?
It’s really about layering those flavors. Slowly building on top of the foundation, or soffrito. So, I think the simplicity speaks volumes after the foundation is set.
What advice would you give to home cooks who want their meals to feel polished but easy in the weeks following the holidays?
More often than not, great cooking is about restraint as opposed to doing more. For example, shred or grate your own cheeses versus using a processed cheese. Easy changes to identify clean goodness. Foods kissed by the sun, so to speak.
Is there a go to New Year meal using Martone Street sauces that you find yourself returning to?
I just love that I’m able to use Martone Street sauces in a way that helps me build flavors. I know that whatever’s in that jar is already delicious and I can easily cook it with proteins or pastas or even in soups or braises.
For example, my Lobster Fra Diavola using the Martone Street Arrabiata sauce. This can seem like a daunting dish but by using the jarred sauce, I save time but don’t compromise the flavor or quality. In the New Year, I try to stick to lean protein.
Check out Chef Scott Conant's Linguine with Red Clam Sauce recipe:
Scott Conant's Linguine with Red Clam Sauce
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesNote: See how to purge the clams, listed below.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
2 lb. 2 Manila clams (see note on purging)
1/4 cup 1/4 extra-virgin olive oil + extra for finishing
4 4 cloves garlic
2 2 anchovies, minced
pinch crushed red pepper
24 oz. 24 Martone St Signature Pomodoro Sauce*
1 lb. 1 linguine
2 tbsp. 2 parsley, chopped
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (it should have the salinity of broth).
- In a large, high-sided saucepan or rondeau, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced garlic, anchovies, and crushed red pepper and sauté for two minutes, or until garlic is fragrant but not browned. Stir in the sauce and simmer for about five minutes to reduce slightly.
- Nestle the clams into the sauce, cover the pan, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for about four minutes, or until the clams open. Discard any clams that stay closed. Transfer the clams to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Transfer the pasta directly into the sauce, tossing to coat completely. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Cook for another minute or two until the pasta is al dente.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Return the clams to the pan and toss gently to rewarm. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and the chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
- To Purge the Clams
- Inspect for cracked or dead clams. Live clams should be tightly closed; if slightly open, tap them. They should shut quickly. If they stay open, discard them.
- Scrub the shells under running water with a stiff brush to remove any surface sand and debris.
- Prepare a large bowl with cold salted water (about ⅓ cup kosher salt per gallon). Submerge the clams completely and soak for 30 minutes.
- If the water becomes very murky, repeat the purge in a fresh bowl of salted water for another 10–15 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly in a colander before cooking.
Notes
- Clam Options: Littleneck clams can be substituted. If using, steam 1–2 minutes longer.
- * Martone's Signature Pomodoro sauce was inspired by Conant's James Beard Award-winning Spaghetti al Pomodoro
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