Description
A simple yet elegant summer dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 roma tomatoes (about a pound), diced*
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 4 pounds clams (little neck, manila, or cherrystone)
- 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 fresh chopped basil (or any desired combination of fresh herbs)
- French or ciabatta bread for serving. I like to toast the bread with a little garlic infused olive oil.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in large pot with lid. Add the garlic, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium for about 2 minutes until fragrent. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in white wine and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer, add the clams, and cover. Steam the clams until they open – 3 to 8 minutes depending on type (manila will cook quicker 3 to 5 minutes while the others take longer). You will them clicking against the pan as they begin to open.
- Transfer the clams to a large serving bowl. Return the cooking liquid to a boil and cook down for 5 minutes or until it thickens up a bit. Stir in the juice of one lemon, butter, and fresh herbs, reserving some herbs for garnishing.
- Pour the mixture over the clams. Serve with bread and garnish with remaining herbs.
Notes
You can swap about a pound of cherry or grape tomatoes for the roma tomatoes if you prefer – cut them in half lengthwise.