Blackfish With Tomatoes Basil And Littleneck Clams Food

WOLF FISH AND LITTLENECK CLAMS IN ALMOND-TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, capers, almonds, basil, thyme, and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. (The sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Put the almond-tomato sauce in the bottom of an ovenproof casserole dish. Lightly brush wolf fish with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the wolf fish on top of the sauce in the center of the casserole dish, and arrange the clams around the outer edge. Bake uncovered until the wolf fish is cooked through and the clams have opened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with smashed potatoes.

MALAYSIAN BLACK PEPPER CLAMS

Steps:

• Place the clams in a large bowl and rinse under cold, running water for 5 to 10 minutes to "spit" the clams of all sand and grit. Drain and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the dark soy, oyster sauce, lime juice, coconut palm sugar and half the black pepper. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large saute pan or skillet over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and the remaining black pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, to release the flavors, but do not let the garlic brown. Add the clams. Add 1/2 cup water and cover immediately to let the clams steam open. This will take 3 to 4 minutes. All the clams should be open, remove any that are not. Add the oyster sauce mixture. Stir well. Add the butter, stir well and pour out into a large bowl. Serve immediately with the fresh herbs sprinkled over the top, toasted bread and wedges of fresh lime to squeeze over the clams.

CLAMS WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

Steps:

• In a large and wide heavy casserole or dutch oven, over a medium flame, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, stirring for approximately 2 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes, stir, than add the clams and wine. Place a lid on the pot, turn flame to high, and cook shaking the pot occasionally for approximately 7 minutes or until clams begin to open.
• Pour in tomato sauce, add scallions and basil. Stir well and bring mixture to a boil.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer clams to a serving platter and discard any unopened shells. Spoon sauce over the clams and serve immediately.

LINGUINE WITH TOMATO-BASIL CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan of boiling water blanch tomatoes, 2 or 3 at a time, 10 seconds and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water. Peel, seed, and dice tomatoes.
• In a large heavy kettle steam clams in water, covered, over moderately high heat 5 to 10 minutes, checking after 5 minutes and transferring them as they open to a bowl. (Discard any clams that are unopened after 10 minutes.) Remove kettle from heat, reserving liquid.
• In a 6-quart kettle bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil and cook linguine until al dente. Drain linguine in a colander.
• While linguine is cooking, with a small knife remove meat from the largest 24 clams, discarding shells, and in a food processor pulse just until chopped coarse. Into reserved clam liquid stir chopped clams, tomatoes, garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes and simmer 2 minutes. Add linguine, basil, remaining 12 clams in their shells, and any liquid in bowl and toss well with salt and pepper to taste.