Local Clams in White Wine Sauce w/ Linguine

2 dozen Fresh Littleneck Clams (we harvest them from local waters)
1 pound Linguine or similar pasta (fresh-made is great, but dried certainly works, as well)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (get really good quality EVOO; it makes a difference in taste)
1/4 medium Sweet Onion, diced
2 cloves fresh Garlic
1/2 cup good quality dry white wine (I use a good Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris)
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
10-12 ounces Fresh Spinach Leaves
1-3 tbsps. Salted Butter
1/4-1/2 tsp. Red Chili Flakes (depending on how much of a kick you like)
Zest and Juice of 1/2 Fresh Lemon
1/4 cup fresh, finely chopped herb mix--Tarragon, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme and Sweet Basil
Fresh Chopped Cilantro or Flat Leaf Parsly for garnish
Sea Salt and coarsely cracked Black Pepper to taste

Prep:

Vigorously clean the clams under cold water, using a stiff brush to get all the dirt off. Discard any dead clams (ones that are open and don't shut even when you handle them)
Put enough water in a large pot to cover the pasta by 2 inches. Bring to a rolling boil and prepare pasta al dente (cooked through, but not mushy). Dried pasta takes a lot longer to cook than fresh pasta. Strain and set aside when cooked.
In a large skillet, pre-heat the olive oil to medium-low
add chili flakes and garlic, and let these slow cook for several minutes to infuse the flavor in the oil. Add the onions and cook until transluscent.
Turn up the heat to medium high, and saute slightly--just until it reduces in volume
Add the white wine
Add the chicken stock
Turn the heat down to simmer
Let this reduce down for about 5 minutes
Add the cream, mix well
Add the chopped herbs (except for the parsley)
Add the butter
Add the zest and juice of the lemon, stir
Turn the heat up to medium high, and stir constantly until the heat simmers through the stirring (a light boil), then turn heat down slightly to maintain a hard simmer, but not quite a boil
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add the clams, cover the pan and let them hard-simmer until the clams pop open--about 5-7 minutes (baste with the cream sauce a couple times to infuse the flavors over the clams)--the sauce will reduce a bit further

Plate the pasta on a deep-lipped plate or shallow, open bowl

When the clams are all open, spoon the clams and sauce over the pasta, garnish with the fresh cilantro/parsley, and swerve with crusty Italian or French bread and pair with a nice dry white wine (the wine you used to cook the dish is perfect--remember, you used a wine that you would drink, not those awful "cooking wines", right?).

Enjoy!