CLAMS FOR CLAM HATERS

i'm just not a fish lover. but this one really works for me. makes a great appetizer for a crowd, too. festive, pretty, delicious, and full of iron! 8-)

Time: 10 minutes

Number Of Ingredients: 9

Ingredients: clams,olive oil,butter,garlic cloves,fresh basil,dry sherry,clam juice,breadcrumbs,parmesan cheese

Steps:

1. scrub clam shells well
2. in a small glass bowl , microwave / melt half of the butter
3. in a dutch oven , heat olive oil and the remaining half of the butter on medium heat
4. saut the garlic lightly
5. remove half of the garlic from the dutch oven and add it to the melted butter
6. in a small skillet , toast the breadcrumbs
7. pour the melted butter / garlic over the crumbs
8. stir in the cheese
9. toast a bit more , then set aside
10. into the dutch oven with the oil , butter , and garlic mixture , add the basil , sherry , and clam juice
11. bring to a rapid boil and reduce a bit
12. add a little salt and a good portion of pepper
13. drop in the clams and cover with tight lid
14. cook for 4 -5 minutes
15. remove lid , stir well
16. if all are open , great if not , re-cover and cook for another minute or so
17. remove any that are not open
18. place open clams into serving bowls
19. add of the broth
20. sprinkle generously with breadcrumb mixture
21. pour remaining broth over breadcrumbs
22. garnish with extra basil
23. dive in !