Clams Steamed with White Wine, Garlic and Parsley

Serves - 2 as a main, 4 as a starter

You’ll need

• 1.2kg fresh clams
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 150ml dry white wine
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Get the clams sorted

Give the clams a good rinse under cold water, discarding any with broken shells. If any are open, give them a tap – if they do not close, get rid of them. You are after clams that are alive and ready to cook, not ones that have already given up.

2. Start the base

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently for a minute or so until fragrant. Do not let it colour too much – golden is lovely, burnt is miserable.

3. Add the wine

Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for a minute to take the raw edge off. This is not the moment for anything oaky or overblown – just something dry, fresh and willing to do its job.

4. Steam the clams

Tip in the clams and put the lid on straight away. Let them steam for 4–6 minutes, giving the pan an occasional shake, until the shells have opened.

5. Finish properly

Take the pan off the heat and stir through the parsley, lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste the broth before adding any salt – the clams may well have brought plenty with them already.

6. Serve

Ladle the clams and broth into warm bowls and serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up. That is not optional, really.

A couple of helpful notes

- Discard any clams that stay shut after cooking. They have missed their chance.
- A knob of butter stirred into the broth at the end is not essential, but it is very hard to argue with.
- This is best eaten straight away, while the clams are plump and the broth is still singing.