Garlicky Clam Paella Recipes

GARLICKY CLAM PAELLA

Steps:

• Place large clams in a skillet with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook, removing clams as they open. Swish clams in the broth to remove any sand, then shake dry and chop coarsely. Set aside.
• Pour liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or one layer of a two-ply paper towel. Measure out 2 and 3/4 cups and set aside. Reserve additional broth for another use.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons parsley. In a mortar or mini processor, mash to a paste the remaining parsley, garlic, saffron and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 for gas, 450 for electric. Warm broth over a low flame. Have pre-measured and ready to go onion, leeks, pepper, bay leaf, chile pepper, chopped clams, bay leaf, chile pepper, paprika, rice and Manila clams. Combine mortar mixture (parsley, garlic, saffron, salt) with wine and lemon juice.
• Heat the oil in a paella pan measuring about 13 inches (or in a shallow casserole of a similar size) and slowly saute the onion, leeks, pepper, bay leaf and chile pepper until the vegetables are softened.
• Add the chopped clams and saute 5 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf and chile pepper and stir in the paprika. Add the rice and coat well with the pan mixture. Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, taste for salt, add the mortar-wine-lemon juice mixture and Manila clams and boil, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice.
• Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes in a gas oven, or 15 to 20 minutes in an electric oven, until the rice is almost al dente.
• Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil and let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.
• To a achieve a crusty bottom, return the paella to the stove over high heat and cook, without stirring, until a crust of rice forms at the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to let it burn. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

PASTA PAELLA WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the pasta to the skillet and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until toasted, about 3 minutes.
• Add the paprika and garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, the green beans, olives and chorizo; nestle the clams in the skillet. Cover and cook until the pasta is tender and the clams open, 8 to 10 minutes. (Discard any unopened clams.) Stir in the piquillo pepper and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

PAELLA WITH CHORIZO, SHRIMP, CLAMS AND CHICKEN WITH GARLIC AIOLI

Steps:

• For the paella: Add the chicken stock, saffron threads and shrimp shells to a medium saucepan and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coat the paella pans generously with olive oil. Add the chorizo, dividing it between the two pans. Set the pans over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the chorizo is crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken to the pans and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is beginning to brown, but isn't cooked all the way through.
• Add the garlic, celery, onions, peppers and tomato to a food processor and pulse until chopped into a coarse paste. Add to the paella pans and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and the veggies are soft and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add about 1/2 cup of the stock to each pan and stir, making sure to scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pans. Season to taste with salt. Add about another cup of the stock to each pan, then bring the liquid to a boil.
• Add the rice and stir until thoroughly combined. Nestle the clams into the rice and cook for 5 minutes. Nestle the shrimp into the rice and simmer until the shrimp are pink and cooked through and the clams have fully opened, 5 minutes.
• For the aioli: Meanwhile, add the vinegar, garlic and egg yolks to a food processor and process until combined. With the machine running, slowly add the oil to emulsify the mixture. Season to taste with salt.
• For serving: Garnish with the chives and a drizzle of aioli.

GARLIC CLAMS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Add garlic and chile flakes and cook on low until they start to sizzle. Add remaining ingredients.
• Cover pan and cook on low until clams open. Remove from heat and keep covered for use in fat rice. Or serve clams immediately along with the broth, if serving as an appetizer.

GARLICKY CLAM DIP

Steps:

• Place softened cream cheese in a bowl, then using garlic press, squeeze the garlic clove with juice into bowl.
• Cream together the cheese and garlic with a spoon until smooth.
• Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until smooth.
• Transfer to serving container, cover, and chill for 1 hour before serving.
• Serve with crackers, chips, or veggies.
• If you'd like a thinner dip (if you're serving dip with thinner chips, for instance), you can add more clam broth. Also good topped with chopped green onions.

SPICY CLAM & PORK PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat half the olive oil in a paella pan or a large frying pan. Tip in the pork and cook for about 5 mins until lightly browned, but not cooked through. Remove from the pan, then set aside on a plate. Pour the remaining olive oil into the pan, then add in the onion, garlic and chorizo. Cook for about 5 mins until the onion is softened and the chorizo is starting to crisp and give off its oil.
• Add the rice and paprika to the pan, then stir around for 1-2 mins until all the grains of rice are well coated. Can be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge.
• Pour the tomatoes and any juices into the pan along with the pork and 900ml of the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then let it gently simmer for about 20 mins until the rice is nearly soft. Place the spinach in a sieve, then pour over a kettle of boiling water so the leaves are just wilted. Arrange the spinach leaves in the pan along with the clams. Pour over the remaining 100ml vegetable stock, then cook for another 10 mins. By this time the clams should have opened (discard any that haven't) and the rice should be tender. Serve straight away from the pan.

FREEKEH PAELLA WITH CLAMS AND ALMOND AIOLI

Steps:

• Almond aioli:
• Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Let cool.
• Pulse almonds and garlic in a food processor or blender until finely ground. With motor running, gradually stream in oil, lemon juice, then 1/4 cup water; process, adding water as needed, until aioli is light, smooth, and consistency of mayonnaise; season with salt. Cover; chill.
• Do ahead: Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Paella:
• Pulse onions in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to a large bowl. Repeat, separately, with carrots, garlic, and chile, adding to bowl with onions as you go. Pulse chorizo in food processor until finely ground.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium and cook chorizo, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to a plate.
• Add vegetables and bay leaf to skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until moisture is evaporated and vegetables have started to brown, 12-15 minutes; this is your flavor base.
• Add freekeh and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Stir in chorizo and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook, adding more water if liquid evaporates too quickly, until grains are al dente and almost all liquid is absorbed, 45-50 minutes. Nestle clams in freekeh and cover skillet. Cook until clams open, 7-10 minutes; discard any that don't open, along with bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until clam juices evaporate and freekeh is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Top with pickled peppers and parsley; serve with aioli and lemon wedges.

PASTA PAELLA WITH CLAMS AND SPICY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cut zucchini and tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and keep vegetables separate. Chop onion and mince garlic.
• In a heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté uncooked pasta, turning occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer pasta to a bowl. In oil remaining in kettle sauté zucchini with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes, and transfer to another bowl. Squeeze sausage from casings into kettle and add onion and garlic. Sauté mixture, stirring and breaking up sausage, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, and wine and bring to a boil. Add pasta and clams and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes, or until clams are opened and pasta is al dente. (Discard any unopened clams.) Stir in zucchini and parsley and cook until heated through.