This is another example of the basic method of steaming shellfish in a small amount of liquid, rather than in a basket set over the liquid. The broth below is given even more depth (and wonderful color) with a last-minute addition of herb oil; butter lends it a bit of richness. To soak up the flavorful broth, serve crusty bread on the side. You could also serve the clams and broth over longstranded pasta, such as linguine or spaghetti.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Make herb oil Pulse parsley, chives, dill, and basil a few times in a food processor to coarsely chop. Pour in the oil and pulse until it is combined and the oil is a vibrant shade of green. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula a few times to incorporate all the herbs. Cover, pressing plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent discoloration, and refrigerate until ready to serve (to help keep it from turning brown), up to 3 hours.
Step 2
Steam clams Bring the fish fumet to a boil in a medium stockpot over high heat. Once it is at a rolling boil, add the clams and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow them to steam until all clams have opened, 6 to 7 minutes (discard any that remain closed). Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the clams to serving bowls.
Step 3
Finish broth Strain the broth remaining in the pot through a cheesecloth-lined sieve to remove any sand. Wipe the pot with paper towels, then pour the strained broth back in and return to a boil. Whisk in the butter and about half the herb oil, whisking to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Serve Ladle the broth over the clams and serve with more herb oil on the side.
Ingredients
Step 5
Any small clams, such as cherrystone, littleneck, or Manila (ask for the littlest ones) will do, or you could substitute mussels or cockles.
Step 6
Instead of the fish fumet, you could use Basic Chicken Stock (page 41), strained Court Bouillion (page 231), or even water for steaming.
