Clam Broth Recipes

CLAMS IN BROTH

Steps:

• Cook clams:
• In 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown, about three minutes. Add salt, pepper, and pepper flakes, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to moderately high and add clams, white wine, 1 1/4 cups water, and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until clams open, about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard clams that do not open after 8 minutes.
• While clams cook, grill bread:
• Preheat grill (high heat).
• Brush bread slices with olive oil on both sides and grill, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes per side. (Alternately, bread may be toasted in broiler until golden brown and crispy.) Keep warm.
• When clams are cooked, stir in parsley. Serve clams with grilled bread.

CLAM BROTH

Steps:

• Scrub the clams, and rinse clean. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in an 8-quart stockpot over high heat. Add the clams, and cover tightly. After 5 minutes, uncover, and stir the clams with a wooden spoon. Quickly cover the pot again, and let steam for 5 minutes more, or until most of the clams have opened. Don't wait for them all to open, or they will be overcooked. It should only take a little tug or prying to open the stragglers once they are all removed from the heat. The total cooking time for large cherrystones will be about 10 minutes; quahogs will need as much as 5 more minutes. While the clams are steaming, the broth should become foamy and light. It usually spills over a bit just as the clams are cooked and ready.
• As soon as you remove the clams from the stove, carefully pour as much of the broth as you can into a tall, narrow container. Let the broth sit for 10 minutes, then carefully pour through a fine-mesh strainer. After sitting, 99 percent of the grit will have collected at the bottom of the container. If you are not using the broth within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible, and cover after it has completely cooled.
• Remove the clams from their shells, cover, and refrigerate. After they have cooled a bit, dice them into 1/2-inch pieces. Cover again, and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

MUSSELS, CLAMS AND SHRIMP IN SPICY BROTH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
• Add garlic,bay leaf and crushed red pepper.
• Saute until garlic is tender (1 min).
• Add wine and bring to a boil.
• Add tomatoes and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and flavors blend (5 min).
• Turn up to medium and cook until sauce is good and warm.
• Add clams, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Stir in mussels, cover and cook until clams and mussels open, about 5 mins or so.
• When clams and mussels are almost all opened throw in the shrimp.
• Cover and cook about 1 1/2 min or until shrimp is done.
• Stir in torn basil leaves and serve.