Trofie Pasta with Cockles, Chiles and Black Bean Sauce

• 12 thin asparagus spears, trimmed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 large shallots, thinly sliced
• One 750-milliliter bottle dry white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons Chinese black beangarlic sauce
• 1 fresh red chile, seeded and minced
• 1 pound artisanal trofie or fusilli
• 4 dozen cockles, scrubbed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus until just tender, about 2 minutes.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to a work surface, let cool and cut into 1-inch lengths.
3. Reserve the water for the pasta.
4. In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter.
5. Add the garlic and shallots and cook over moderately low heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
6. Add the wine and bay leaves and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes.
7. Discard the bay leaves, stir in the black beangarlic sauce and chile, cover and remove from the heat.
8. Return the water to a boil.
9. Cook the pasta until al dente; drain and return to the pot.
10. Bring the black bean sauce to a boil.
11. Add the cockles, cover and cook over high heat until they open, 2 minutes.
12. Stir in the asparagus.
13. Add the pasta and toss.
14. Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley and serve.

thin, unsalted butter, garlic, shallots, white wine, bay leaves, chinese black beangarlic sauce, fresh red chile, trofie, cockles, salt, parsley

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/trofie-pasta-cockles-chiles-and-black-bean-sauce (may not work)