Manila Clams On The Half Shell With Fennel Lemon And Chiles Recipes

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.

MANILA CLAMS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan cook the garlic in the olive oil until golden brown. Do not burn. Add the clams to the hot oil. **Be careful not to burn yourself. Add the wine, red pepper, fennel seed, lemon zest and juice.
• Raise the heat to high and steam the clams for 6 to 8 minutes until all the clams are open. Arrange the clams in 6 bowls using a slotted spoon. Add the tomatoes and parsley to the boiling broth and cook for 1 minute. Ladle the broth over the clams and serve.

MANILA CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH FENNEL, LEMON, AND CHILES

Steps:

• Combine the fennel, lemon juice, oil, and chile in a small bowl and let marinate for 10 minutes or so while you shuck the clams.
• Shucking clams is a little different from shucking oysters. You can do it from the hinge with an oyster knife, or you can get a clam knife and go in from the lip side. If you're going to do it, ask your fishmonger, very sweetly, whether he or she will demonstrate the technique for you if you've never done it before. The clam knife has a thin blade and slides through the lip with the flat side, not the tip.
• Place the shucked clams on a large plate. Pile the fennel mixture high on each clam, spooning some of the liquid over the top of each one. Serve immediately.