Clams With Lemongrass And Chiles Food

CLAMS WITH LEMONGRASS AND CHILES

Steps:

• Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl of cold water. Add clams. Let soak at room temperature 15 minutes. Drain.
• Scrub clams under cold running water. Transfer to a large bowl of fresh cold water. Repeat, scrubbing clams and rinsing in fresh water. Drain. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to use, up to 8 hours.
• Put reserved lemongrass leaves in a large pot with 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Add clams. Steam, covered, until clams open, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain. Discard any unopened clams and the leaves.
• Add oil, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and chiles. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until lemongrass and shallots turn golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add clams to pot, and gently stir to coat.
• Stir together lime juice and fish sauce in a small bowl; pour over clams. Transfer clams to a large serving bowl; sprinkle with cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH LEMONS AND CALABRIAN CHILES

Steps:

• Preheat the grill over medium-high heat.
• Add the butter, parsley sprigs, rosemary, thyme and chopped garlic to a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat and allow the butter to melt. Add the preserved lemon, Calabrian chiles and clams and stir to combine. Cover the clams with the wine, then bring to a simmer and allow the clams to open and the sauce to reduce, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the lemon halves and bread on the grill and allow to char all over, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove both from the grill. Rub each piece of bread with the whole clove of garlic and drizzle with the olive oil. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Remove the clams from the Dutch oven to a large serving bowl. Allow the sauce to reduce for another 2 minutes over high heat. Taste and adjust the sauce with salt, if needed. Add the charred lemon and bread to the serving bowl and pour over the reduced sauce, sprigs and all. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

UDON NOODLES WITH LEMON GRASS CLAM BROTH

Steps:

• In a very hot stock pot, add 1 tablespoon oil, add clams and stir for 2 minutes. Add lemon grass, ginger, chiles and onion and stir for 2 more minutes. Season. Deglaze with mirin and reduce liquid by 80 per cent. Add chicken stock and turn heat down to simmer. When clams are open, remove and continue slowly simmering the broth. Check for seasoning. Reduce broth by 20 per cent, which should take about 30 minutes, then strain. Bring broth back to a boil; add udon, spinach, clams and butter. Add lemon juice and serve in large bowls.

LITTLENECK CLAMS STEAMED IN GREEN CHILI-COCONUT MILK BROTH

Steps:

• Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high. Brush poblano peppers with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred on all sides. Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes; then peel, halve, seed and coarsely chop the poblano peppers.
• Reduce grill heat to medium high. On stove, heat oil in large enamel-coated Dutch oven or any other large, shallow pot until almost smoking. Add onion, and cook until soft, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine, and reduce mixture until almost dry. Add clam juice, coconut milk and poblano and serrano peppers, and bring to boil. Add spinach leaves, and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• In batches, transfer the mixture to a blender, add 1/2 cup water and blend until smooth. Return mixture to pot, and bring to boil. Add honey, and season with salt and pepper. Add clams, stir, cover and place pot on the grill. Cover grill, and cook until all clams open, for 10 to 12 minutes. (Or keep pot on stove, turn heat to high and cook until clams open, about 10 to 12 minutes.) Pour clams and their broth into a large bowl, and serve.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH THAI BASIL AND CHILES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté for 1 minute or until golden.
• Add chile; sauté 10 seconds. Stir in wine and next 4 ingredients (through pepper). Bring to a boil.
• Add clams; cover and cook 7 minutes or until shells open. Add basil; cover and cook for 1 minute.
• Discard any unopened shells. Remove clams from pan with a slotted spoon. Serve with sauce.

MANILA CLAMS WITH BASIL AND CHILES

Steps:

• Place a large, deep frying pan or wok over high heat.
• When the pan is hot, add the canola oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
• When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the garlic.
• Cook, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chile pepper and the red and yellow bell peppers and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly cooked, 1-2 minutes.
• Add the clams, discarding any that fail to close to the touch.
• Stir to coat with the oil.
• Cook, tossing and stirring, for 2 minutes, then stir in the chile paste and the fish sauce.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the clams have opened, 3-5 minutes longer.
• Stir in the basil and mint.
• Transfer the clams to a platter or serving bowl, discarding any that failed to open.
• Serve immediately.