Spicy Clams With Garlicky Toasts Recipes

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.

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.

SPICY CLAMS WITH GARLICKY TOASTS

Steps:

• Set a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is hot, add scallions and let sizzle for a minute without browning. Add garlic and peppers, stir and let sizzle for 15 seconds.
• Add wine and broth, and turn heat to high. Add clams, and clamp on lid. Cook for 7 or 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until all clams have opened. Turn off heat and keep pot covered.
• As clams cook, prepare the baguette: Under the broiler, toast the bread cut-side up until it's golden. Rub the cut side of baguette with a peeled garlic clove and and drizzle each of the four pieces with about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
• Just before serving, throw parsley, cilantro and basil into the pot and stir well to distribute.
• Ladle clams and broth into big soup bowls. Serve with garlic toasts for sopping and lemon wedges. For a dramatic presentation, set a single long toast atop each bowl.