Mignonette Sauce for Shellfish

This simple sauce is the perfect accent for raw, steamed, or broiled seafood.

1/4 c finely-minced shallot
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 t cracked peppercorns
1/2 t salt
1 t sugar

Add ingredients to a small bowl or container. Mix well and let stand at least 30 minutes. Spoon small amounts over oysters, clams, mussels, or fish. Keeps well in the refrigerator for a good while.

Clams in an Herb and Cream Broth

Developed by Laura, June, 2020, from a dish named "waterzooi", the house specialty at Caprice Bistro, Wilmington, NC. Of Flanders origin, the dish is both fast and easy to prepare.

2 dozen littleneck clams
3 T butter
1/2 c water
1 c white wine
1/2 cup half and half or cream
2 T minced garlic
1/4 c minced shallot
1 green onion, white and green parts chopped separately
2 T minced chives
a fistful of thyme sprigs
2 T flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 T fresh lemon juice

Rinse the clams in cold water. Discard any that are open. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the minced garlic, shallot and the white part of the green onion.  Sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for a minute or two. Add the water and return to a simmer. Add the clams and the remaining green onion, the other herbs, and the lemon juice. Cover the pan and steam gently for about 4 minutes or until all the clams open. Divide the clams into two bowls. Discard the thyme stem, raise the heat and reduce the liquid by one-third. Stir in the dairy, warm gently, and pour the broth over the clams. Serve with a crusty, warm baguette.

Line-Cook Seafood Chowder

Developed November, 2019.This delicious chowder is adapted from a recipe posted to Reddit by a line cook who described it as a “signature soup at my restaurant Patrons love it, and I think you will too.” I agree. Well-balanced, creamy, and economical.

1 oz vegetable or olive oil
½ c (125 ml) chopped red onion
1 c (250 ml) diced celery
½ c (125 ml) diced carrot
3 c (650 g) diced yellow potatoes, skins on
1 T minced garlic
1 T salt
1 10-oz can baby clams with juice + 1.5 cans of water
1 T chicken stock concentrate
250 g cod fillet, or other firm white fish, cut into half-inch cubes
½ T ground black pepper
1 c (250 ml) half and half
2 c (500 ml) milk
1 T dry dill weed
1 T Old Bay seasoning

For the roux:

½ c (one stick) butter
½ c all-purpose flour

In a 6-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the vegetables, garlic, and salt. Heat thoroughly with stirring, cover, and turn off heat. Let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes to soften the vegetables. Add the clams, clam juice, water, salt, pepper, and the stock concentrate. Cook over medium heat for 10 more minutes. Add the cod to the pot, and simmer for 5 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When the bubbling stops, slowly stir in the flour. Cook about 4 minutes with constant stirring until the roux turns a light tan and is smooth. Combine the cream and the milk in a large measuring cup, and off heat, slowly pour half the cold dairy into the roux with continuous whisking. When smooth, mix with rest of the dairy remaining in the cup. Stir the roux mixture into the chowder, add the dill weed and Old Bay, and heat to a fast simmer with stirring until the chowder thickens into a smooth creamy texture. Yields about 2-1/2 quarts (liters). Serve with oyster crackers or hot biscuits.

Steamed Littleneck Clams

Developed May, 2014.  The availability of fresh littlenecks from nearby Virginia waters inspired this recipe. "Littleneck" derives from the name of the estuary where they were farmed, not because these clams have 'little necks'. Clams have no necks. 

about 20 littleneck clams
1/2 c water
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c parsley, whole
1 t salt
2 T olive oil
1 t minced garlic

Rinse the clams briefly under running cold water, checking for grit. Discard any open clams that don’t close when squeezed. Prepare the steaming liquid by heating all the ingredients except the clams to boiling in a 10-inch skillet. Cook at a slow boil until half the volume remains. Discard the parsley and add the clams. Raise the heat to boiling and cover. Steam over medium heat for 5 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Add the stock and clams to another dish, or serve in bowls as an appetizer, topped with a drizzle of olive oil with warm crusty bread to sop up the delicious stock.

Linguine with Clams and Broccoli in Wine Sauce

Developed March, 2013. Variation on a Family Favorite. The dish comes together very quickly, boiling the pasta being the slowest step.

4 T olive oil, divided
2 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly
3 6.5 oz cans minced or chopped clams with reserved clam juice
2 c broccoli florets cut into bite-size pieces
6 oz dry white wine
1/2 T fish sauce (optional)
1/4 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 lb linguine, cooked al dente, about 7 minutes
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

Start four quarts of salted water to boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Arrange broccoli pieces on a plate, mist with water, season with salt, cover, and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Uncover and set aside to cool. Start the pasta cooking and heat a 12-inch stainless-steel skillet over medium. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When shimmering, add garlic, cook 30 seconds, and add the wine. Reduce by half, add the canned clams and clam juice, fish sauce, and the broccoli. Heat to a fast simmer and add the drained linguine, reserving some pasta water. Cook slowly, tossing gently with tongs until most of liquid is absorbed, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Drizzle on the remaining olive oil and a few drops of fish sauce. Sprinkle the cheese, and gently toss with tongs to combine. Serves 4 to 6.

Clam Chowder Too

Developed February 15, 2006 from Internet recipes.

2 or 3 thick slices bacon, diced
1 c chopped onion
2 ribs celery, diced
3 to 4 c diced potatoes
1 c (1 bottle) clam juice, or seafood or chicken stock
1 t sea salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
2 6-1/2 oz cans minced or chopped clams
3 T all-purpose flour
3 c half-and-half + milk
2 T chopped parsley
2 T lemon juice

Cook bacon until crisp in a Dutch oven or large, heavy saucepan. Remove bacon to paper towels. Discard all but 1 T bacon fat and add the onions.  Fry slowly until softened (about 10 minutes). Add potatoes, clam juice or stock, bacon, salt, and pepper.  Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Add minced clams with their liquid. Whisk flour into milk; add to chowder with half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until clam chowder thickens and bubbles (about 3 minutes). Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning. Serves 4.

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder with French bread and Chardonay

Recorded February 5, 2012. Created and prepared by Laura.

4 slices lean bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small leek - use white and light green parts – quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
2 ribs celery, diced
4 medium or 3 large potatoes, quartered and sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
1 51 oz can chopped clams with broth
1 c heavy cream
2 c milk
2 T chopped fresh oregano
1 T chopped fresh thyme
2 T chopped fresh dill
chili powder to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
chives for garnish

Separate clam meat and clam broth using a strainer and hold. In a 6-quart cook pot over medium heat, slowly render bacon. Add garlic, onions, and celery and sauté lightly until soft.  Add leeks and sauté for about 1 minute. Add clam broth and potatoes; simmer until potatoes are tender. Turn down heat; add milk, heavy cream and clams.  When soup is warmed through (do not boil), stir in the herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve in soup bowls garnished with chives. Pair with crusty bread and a light fruity wine.

Linguine in Clam Sauce, Pantry-Style

Conceived and prepared on Palindrome Day 01022010. Except for the parsley, the dish is prepared with pantry ingredients in less than 30 minutes. Hint: Always keep parsley on hand. It brightens many dishes and is very nourishing.

3 T (50 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 T (25 ml) garlic, finely minced with 1/2 t kosher salt
3/4 cup dry white wine

4 6-!/2 oz (180 ml) cans chopped or minced clams, drained

reserved clam juice
2 T (25 ml) tapioca starch, suspended in 2 T clam juice
fistful chopped parsley

2 t (10 ml) fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
shredded or grated Parmesan

1 lb linguine, boiled 8 minutes in salted water
reserved pasta water

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil. When it shimmers, add the garlic. When it is fragrant, add the wine, and mix to emulsify the wine, oil, and garlic. Reduce by half at a slow boil. Add the reserved clam juice and starch suspension and heat gently with stirring. When hot, stir in the clams and herbs. Stir in the hot undercooked linguine, add some pasta water, continue to cook, adding more pasta water until sauce is loose and the pasta is cooked al dente, about 6 minutes. Plate and finish with a drizzle of oil and a shower of cheese. Serves 4 to 6.
Note: This is the 50th contribution to this blog.