I have, since I was a child, love steamed shellfish of all types. I don’t think I’ve ever met a mollusk I didn’t love, and this is currently my favorite base for steamed clams. The mint and saffron are both unexpected and delicious; the combination is impossibly bright.
Ingredients
- 2.5 dozen clams, well scrubbed
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 a medium shallot, minced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine
- 1/4 cup water
- good pinch of saffron
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- three fingered pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- hand full of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Instructions
- In a medium-large pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and shallot and sautee until just translucent and fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the clams along with the wine, water, saffron, red pepper flakes, and pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes until all of the clams have opened up. Discard any that fail to open.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter, and top with the fresh mint. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the broth!
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