It’s spring here in Australia! The days are getting longer, the nights warmer, and we’re fast approaching my favourite time of the year: entertaining season. This year, I’m super excited about entertaining in our newly transformed backyard! Just over a year ago, Mike and I moved into our new home and have been busy transforming the garden from a bare muddy swamp into a beautiful green space that we can both enjoy, and most importantly, entertain in.
With the end of the year fast approaching, I thought I’d create a menu with some new recipes perfect for entertaining and also share a little table styling inspiration. For this gathering, I had the pleasure of partnering with the guys from Royal Doulton, who recently sent me pieces from their beautiful new ‘ED’ series collection. As you can see, the pieces featured in the photos look beautiful!
For this setting, I have combined the Cobalt Blue Chevron, Charcoal Grey Lines, and Taupe Stripe sets, along with some pieces from the Charcoal Accents and Serveware Accessories range. The Cobalt Blue Chevron pieces have now become a favourite of mine to use around the house.
The featured recipe in today's post is my Spaghetti Vongole (Clams) with Roasted Almonds. This light and delicious pasta dish is super simple to make and packed full of flavour. I have used fresh vongole (clams) in this recipe, but feel free to use mussels or your favourite seafood. For a vegetarian version, butter beans make a delicious seafood replacement.
Check out the full lunch menu and recipes below. Enjoy!
THE MENU
- Sourdough Bread with Lime & Black Pepper Butter with Gin Pickled Cucumber
- Cheese & Antipasto Selection - French brie with fresh honeycomb, comte, gorgonzola with fig relish, olive oil roasted almonds, chili herb anchovies with smokey dark rye crackers
- Green Salad with Avocado & Fresh Parmesan Shavings
- Spaghetti Vongole (Clams) with Roasted Almonds
- Lemon, Olive Oil Vanilla Cake with Yoghurt Cream & Chamomile
Lime & Black Pepper Butter
- 100g good quality salted butter (I use cultured butter)
- Zest of 1 lime
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp lemon myrtle (optional)
- Mix the butter, lime zest, black pepper and lemon myrtle to combine.
- Roll into a small log using baking paper and place into the fridge to firm up.
Gin Pickled Cucumbers
- 1-2 Lebanese cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1-2 tbs good quality gin or lime juice
- 1 tsp juniper berries, crushed
- Add the cucumber, gin or lime juice, and juniper berries together and set aside ready to use.
- Serve fresh crusty sourdough bread with the lime pepper butter and cucumbers.
Cheese and Antipasto Selection
- French Brie with fresh honeycomb
- Comte, French firm cheese
- Gorgonzola with fig relish
- Warm olive oil sea salt roasted almonds
- Warm wild olives
- Chili and fresh herb anchovies
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil and thick balsamic
- Smokey dark rye crackers
- Fresh sourdough bread
Props I used in this post:
Serving Plates & Bowls: ED Cobalt Blue Chevron, ED Charcoal Grey Lines, ED Taupe Stripe
Salad Dish: Olio Wooden Server
Bread Serving Platter: ED Serving Board
Cheese & Antipasto Plates: ED Serving Platter, ED Charcoal Accent Plates & Bowls
Flower (Jug) Vase: Olio Black Jug, Olio White Jug
This post is in partnership with Royal Doulton. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ingredients
Dairy-free 
20 minutes preparation time (+ soaking) + 20 minutes cooking time 
4-6 - 1kg fresh vongole (also known as clams or pipi’s), soaked and cleaned
- 400g dried spaghetti
- Lots of extra virgin olive oil, about 1/4 cup
- 7 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- Large pinch of chili or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (I like to use Aleppo pepper flakes for their mild smoky heat)
- Small handful of fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
- 2 large handfuls of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
- 1/2 cup roasted almonds, finely chopped
- Salt, for pasta water
Method
- Soak the vongole in a large bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes to remove any sand. Discard any clams that are already open.
- Rinse the vongole thoroughly in fresh cold water, drain well, and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a large, deep-sided frying pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add sliced garlic, chili flakes (or red pepper flakes), and chopped oregano to the pan. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and add the cleaned vongole to the pan. Cover with a lid and shake the pan occasionally.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vongole have opened up. Discard any unopened clams.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked vongole from the pan and set aside in a bowl, leaving the liquid in the pan.
- Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until just under al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Add the partially cooked spaghetti to the pan with the vongole juices. Cook over medium heat, tossing the pasta to coat it evenly in the sauce. The sauce will thicken as the pasta finishes cooking.
- Once the pasta is cooked to your liking (al dente), add the chopped parsley and lemon zest to the pan. Toss to combine.
- Serve the spaghetti vongole topped with finely chopped roasted almonds, extra lemon zest, a sprinkle of chili flakes (if desired), and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
NOTES
- Select fresh vongole from a reputable source, and ensure they are tightly closed before soaking.
- Soak the vongole in cold water to help remove sand and grit. Discard any clams that remain open after soaking or do not close when tapped.
- Use a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio for the sauce. Avoid sweet wines as they can alter the flavour profile of the dish.
- If using raw almonds, roast them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden and fragrant. Allow them to cool before chopping.
- Control the heat level by adjusting the amount of chili flakes or crushed red pepper to suit your taste preferences. Be cautious as Aleppo pepper flakes can vary in heat intensity.
- Cook the spaghetti until just under al dente as it will continue cooking briefly in the sauce, ensuring it reaches the perfect texture without becoming overcooked.
- Garnish the finished dish with a sprinkle of extra chopped parsley, lemon zest, and roasted almonds for added freshness and crunch.
- Drizzle a good quality extra virgin olive oil over the plated pasta just before serving to enhance flavours.
