Littleneck with Herb Butter

Updated July 06, 2016

Chef

Cookbook

The Best of Christopher Idone

Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang

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Serves6

Cooking Methodgrilling, steaming

CostInexpensive

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Kid FriendlyYes

One Pot MealYes

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Recipe Courseappetizer, main course

Equipmentgrill, steamer

Five Ingredients or LessYes

Mealdinner

Taste and Texturebuttery, herby, savory

Ingredients

Approximately 12 small littleneck clams per person, well-scrubbed
1 cup melted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Place the clams in the freezer for 10 minutes before cooking.
Prepare the sauce: In a small saucepan, bring the butter to a simmer over medium-low heat. Pour into a glass measuring cup and let stand 5 minutes. Skim off and discard the foam on top. Pour the clarified butter into a bowl, discarding the milky residue. Add the garlic, parsley, tarragon, and chives. Season with pepper to taste and set aside.
In a large covered steamer kettle, bring 1 cup cold water to a rolling boil over high heat. Place the clams in the steamer basket, cover, and cook the clams just until they open. (Peek in after about 4 minutes.) Using tongs or a slotted spoon, begin transferring the open clams to a large bowl. Discard any that do not open.
Strain the clam juice through a fine sieve into the butter mixture, leaving any sand in the bottom of the kettle; heat slightly. Season with the pepper. Divide the clams evenly among warm soup bowls and cover with sauce.
To grill the clams: Prepare a charcoal fire. When the coals are dusty and glowing, place the clams on the grill. As they open, use long tongs to transfer them to a large bowl. Use the clam juice that collects in the bottom of the bowl to make the sauce.

1997 Christopher Idone

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