First off let me begin by saying we are HUGE clam fans.
Not only are we all crazy about their briny flavor but they cook in 10 minutes and present like a million bucks!
These Italiano clams are my favorite because they have a great spicy undertone with the red pepper flakes. The base is my 'go-to tomato sauce' which only takes 20 mins to throw together (Molto Mario!) and I use it for everything from dishes like this to my briny olives.
I also love the fact that all you need is just a few ingredients – some garlic, the basic tomato sauce and wine. Easy peasy!
So once you’ve got the polenta going – follow the instructions to a T, it never fails and you'll end up with gorgeous creamy polenta, begin on the clams and in 30 minutes with 2 burners going on the same time, it’s dinner done!
But your guests will never know – certainly not by the flavors. Molto bene!
These really would be fabulous for a dinner party but I make it just on regular week nights after work when I don’t want to be slaving over a hot stove.
And my kids have fun too pulling the meat out and piling the shells in a large pot on the table. Playing with your food taken to the next level here!
Gather the ingredients,
5 lbs Little Neck or Manila clams
2 cups basic tomato sauce (scroll down to the bottom for recipe)
1 cup good quality dry wine such as Pinot Grigio
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
Creamy Polenta:
2 cups corn grits, polenta (not the instant kind)
7 cups water
2-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1 stick unsalted butter
Method:
Begin with the Polenta:
Bring a pot with the water and salt to a rolling boil.
Add the polenta and with a whisk only, and on medium heat, break up lumps as the polenta continues to adsorb water. Once the polenta thickens it will begin to burst bubbles.
Add the milk and with a spoon this time, stir the milk into the polenta. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes until the polenta is soft and creamy. Taste to ascertain this.
Add the stick of butter and continue to stir until melted. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Clams: Soak in plenty of water with 2 tbs yellow corn meal to extract sand and grit. Soak for 2 hours if possible and at the very least 30 minutes.
Garlic: Slice very thin and set aside.
On medium high heat, add the olive oil to a large saute pan. Once very hot, add the garlic cloves and as soon as they sizzle, add the basic tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, wine and stir to combine. Do not allow the garlic to burn.
Add the clams and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. On medium-high cook for about 10 minutes. Nearly all the clams should have opened. If not, stir thoroughly and once again return lid for 2-3 minutes.
This time around, discard any unopened clams. Taste and adjust salt.
Serve hot on individual plates on a bed of creamy polenta. Enjoy with vino you used to cook with!
Recipe for
Basic Tomato Sauce
Shopping list – Makes approx. 4 cups
1 qty 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (3-3/4 to 4 cups)
1 medium Spanish red onion
fresh thyme sprigs, to yield 3 tbs thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves peeled
1 small carrot
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Preparation:
Onions: Peel, discard skin and ends. Chop into ¼” pieces.
Garlic: Slice very thin and set aside.
Carrot: Peel and grate using a vegetable grater
Herbs: Separate the leaves from the stalks and using clean fingers crush to release fragrant oils.
Method:
In a heavy bottom pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat until it is hot and you see ripples.
Add the garlic and onions and on medium-low heat sauté for about 10 minutes until the onions have softened but have not browned.
Add the grated carrot and herbs. Sauté for a minute or so.
Add the tomatoes. Simmer with lid on the pan on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Use in myriad recipes as called for. Will freeze well for several weeks.
~
Recipe for
Spicy Clams with Creamy Polenta
Serves 4-6
Shopping list:
5 lbs Little Neck or Manila clams
2 cups basic tomato sauce (scroll down to the bottom for recipe)
1 cup good quality dry wine such as Pinot Grigio
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
Creamy Polenta:
2 cups corn grits, polenta (not the instant kind)
7 cups water
2-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1 stick unsalted butter
Method:
Begin with the Polenta:
Bring a pot with the water and salt to a rolling boil.
Add the polenta and with a whisk only, and on medium heat, break up lumps as the polenta continues to adsorb water. Once the polenta thickens it will begin to burst bubbles.
Add the milk and with a spoon this time, stir the milk into the polenta. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes until the polenta is soft and creamy. Taste to ascertain this.
Add the stick of butter and continue to stir until melted. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Clams: Soak in plenty of water with 2 tbs yellow corn meal to extract sand and grit. Soak for 2 hours if possible and at the very least 30 minutes.
Garlic: Slice very thin and set aside.
On medium high heat, add the olive oil to a large saute pan. Once very hot, add the garlic cloves and as soon as they sizzle, add the basic tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, wine and stir to combine. Do not allow the garlic to burn.
Add the clams and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. On medium-high cook for about 10 minutes. Nearly all the clams should have opened. If not, stir thoroughly and once again return lid for 2-3 minutes.
This time around, discard any unopened clams. Taste and adjust salt.
Serve hot on individual plates on a bed of creamy polenta. Enjoy with vino you used to cook with!
Enjoy!
