Steamed Clams With Guanciale And Sorrel Food

CLAMS WITH CELERY AND TOASTED GARLIC

Steps:

• Preferably using a natural bristle kitchen scrubber (a brand new kitchen sponge will work as well), scrub the clams well under running water. After the clams have been scrubbed and scrubbed again, let them hang out in a large bowl of cold water. This will allow any residual sediment or grit to free itself from the shells and settle at the bottom of the bowl while you do everything else.
• Heat oil, butter and chorizo or other pork product, if using, in a large pot (make sure it has a lid) over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pot occasionally until the butter has started to brown a little and the fat has begun to render from the pork, 3 to 4 minutes. (The pork won't be crispy, but that's O.K.; you're not looking for that.)
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring a minute or two until it begins to take on a toasty, light golden-brown color. Add wine and cook, letting it simmer until it's a little more than halfway reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Add celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the celery is bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add clams and shake the pot so they settle nicely. Place the lid on the pot and give it the occasional shake, letting them steam open and release their juices, 3 to 5 minutes. (Larger clams will take longer.) The shaking of the pot is not only fun to do, but it gives all the clams quality time with the hottest part of the pot, which will encourage them to open around the same time, although there's always one or two clams late to the party. If there's one that just never makes it to the party (as in, it never opens), it's dead and should be thrown away.
• Toss the parsley, chives and celery leaves in a small bowl, then add lemon or lime zest and juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the clams with a hunk of crusty fresh bread or thick slices of toast that have been drizzled with lots of olive oil and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, scattering the parsley mixture over everything.

LINGUINE ALLA CHITARRA WITH CLAMS, GUANCIALE AND PEA TENDRILS

Steps:

• For the pasta: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, semolina and salt and pile up in the center of the bowl. Create a shallow well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg. Beat the egg and oil together with a fork. Using a plastic spatula, stir the egg and slowly incorporate into the flour. Mix until the dough ball forms, then remove from the bowl and place the dough on a clean work surface.
• Knead the dough into a smooth dough ball, about 10 minutes. Immediately wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap to avoid drying out. Rest the dough at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Cut the pasta to linguine size using a chitarra or other pasta machine.
• For the sauce: In a medium saucepot, add the olive oil and guanciale and cook over medium heat to render the fat from the guanciale until it starts to turn light brown.
• Add the garlic, oregano, crushed pepper and basil, and mix; cook until the garlic is fully cooked through and the herbs are infused in the oil. Add the clams, stock and wine, and increase to high heat; cover with a lid to steam open the clams, 3 to 4 minutes. As soon as the clams open, remove from the heat to avoid overcooking; remove all of the clams from the pot and reserve the sauce. Remove half of the clams from their shells and add to the sauce.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, about 3 minutes.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat to allow the pasta to soak up some of the sauce, then add the lemon juice and pea tendrils. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary.
• To plate, twist the pasta and place in the center of the plate, then top with the remaining sauce. Place the clams in the shells on top and garnish with a few fresh opal basil leaves, some herb flowers, a drizzle of Ligurian olive oil and Calabrian chile oil and shavings from the mullet bottarga.

STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Wash the clams thoroughly and remove any blemishes. They should have no odor. Heat oil in a large saucepan (with a cover) over medium heat and cook garlic and onion until translucent. Add the wine and let cook for a couple of minutes to combine the flavors. Add the clams and clam juice (or water) and cover the pan for about 10 minutes until the clams open. Discard any clams that do not open and remove clams to serving bowls. Season the juices in the pan with salt and pepper to make a sauce. Pour the sauce and melted butter over the clams.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH SPICY GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, reserving the drippings in the skillet. Place the sausage in a large serving bowl.
• Add the shallots to the skillet; cook, stirring often, until translucent and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, stirring and scraping to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the coconut milk, butter, salt, pepper, ginger and turmeric. Add the clams, cover the skillet, and steam until the clams open, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Transfer the clams to the bowl with the sausage. Stir the lime juice into the broth and pour over the clams and sausage. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme.
• Serve immediately with Spicy Garlic Bread.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the bread in half lengthwise through the top of the loaf without cutting all the way through to the bottom. Cut the bread crosswise into 1-inch slices without cutting all the way through to the bottom.
• Stir together the butter, garlic, crushed red pepper and salt. Spread over the bread and between the slices.
• Place the loaf on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm.

STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Carefully scrub the clams under cold running water to remove sand and grit, then set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large pot set over medium heat, and when it foams, add the chorizo or bacon, and allow it to crisp, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
• Add the beer to the pot (use just 1 cup if cooking 50 or fewer clams), and allow to heat through, then carefully add the clams in layers. Cover the pot, and allow the clams to steam and open, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Serve in the pot, or use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove clams to a platter, and serve alongside a bowl of the remaining clam broth and melted butter.

GARLIC STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Discard any clams that are not firmly shut.
• Place them in a bowl of cold water and sprinkle the cornmeal on the water, refrigerate for 1 1/2 hrs Drain& scrub the clams again under cold running water.
• Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or other heavy pot that has a firm fitting lid, throw in the garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Turn up the heat and pour in the water & wine.
• Add clams close the lid, steam the clams for about 6 minutes, shake the pot a few times to redistribute the clams- do not remove the lid. Remove the clams with a slotted spoon, discard any clams that did not open Add the parsley, salt& pepper to the broth.
• To serve, place the clams in a shallow bowl & pour the broth over them.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH GUANCIALE AND SORREL

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the guanciale to render some of the fat. Pour off the fat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and chile flakes and cook until the garlic is soft and the chile flakes are toasted, 2 minutes. Add the clams and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the wine and cover.
• After 5 or 6 minutes, check to see whether the clams have opened. Discard any that have failed to open. Add the lemon juice and toss. Pile into a serving bowl and top with the sorrel. Serve immediately.