Steamed Clams With Saffron And Tomato Recipes

STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Wash the clams thoroughly and remove any blemishes. They should have no odor. Heat oil in a large saucepan (with a cover) over medium heat and cook garlic and onion until translucent. Add the wine and let cook for a couple of minutes to combine the flavors. Add the clams and clam juice (or water) and cover the pan for about 10 minutes until the clams open. Discard any clams that do not open and remove clams to serving bowls. Season the juices in the pan with salt and pepper to make a sauce. Pour the sauce and melted butter over the clams.

STEAMED CLAMS IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse the clams in several changes of water and scrub with a small brush, such as a toothbrush. Discard any that are open or that have cracked shells.
• Place the wine in a large, lidded pan that will accommodate all of the clams (a wok with a lid works well). Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the clams, cover and cook over high heat, shaking the pan from time to time, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the clams open. Remove from the heat. Discard any clams that have not opened.
• Set a strainer over a bowl, line with cheesecloth and drain the clams. Set the liquid and the clams aside in separate bowls. You can keep the clams in the shell or remove them, whichever is most convenient for serving (it's prettiest with the clams in the shell).
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide, lidded skillet or casserole and add the shallots. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes, and add the garlic and red pepper flakes or chile de arbol. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the tomatoes and juice, the sugar, orange zest, thyme, saffron, and the liquid from the clams. Add salt and pepper to taste, bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has cooked down and is very fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Stir the clams into the tomato sauce and heat through, stirring. Add the parsley or cilantro, stir again, and serve in wide soup bowls. Drizzle a little olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice over each serving if you wish

STEAMED CLAMS IN GARLIC SAFFRON BROTH

Steps:

• Crumble saffron into 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside to steep.
• Heat olive oil in a large, shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add wine, and stir to loosen any bits from pan. Add reserved saffron broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add clams, chopped tomato, and half the chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Cover, and let steam until clams are opened, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and pepper, and serve immediately.

NEW ENGLAND STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Rinse clams several times in cold, running water. Soak them in salted or seawater with a few handfuls of cornmeal for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse again.
• Fill a steamer with 1-inch cold water, celery and parsley and bring to a boil. Add clams all at once. Bring back to a boil, then cook for about 4 minutes, shaking the pot from time to time, until clams open. (If you wish, cook 3 to 4 minutes longer, to kill off harmful bacteria that may exist.)
• Remove steamers with a spider or a large slotted spoon to serving bowls. Open spigot of steamer and strain broth into small bowls for serving. If your steamer does not have a spigot, ladle broth into bowls, leaving behind any debris. Serve steamers immediately with broth and hot melted butter for dipping.

BISTRO STEAMED CLAMS WITH ROASTED SHALLOTS AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• In a large stock pot over high heat, combine clams, wine, mirin, ouzo, lemon zest and juice, saffron, roasted shallots, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the clams just begin to open, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butter and continue cooking until the clams have opened completely, about 4 minutes longer. Discard any unopened clams. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the clams and cooking liquid in large pasta bowls. Serve warm.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Remove the stringy mussel beards with your thumb and index finger as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells. Heat a 2-count drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, tomato, and bay leaves until the vegetables cook down to a pulp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the "saffron tea," red pepper flakes, and curry. Add the mussels and give everything a good toss. Add the vermouth, lemon juice, and chicken stock; cover the pot and steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the mussels open. Stir occasionally so that all the mussels are in contact with the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mussels to a warm serving bowl and cover. Pick out the bay leaves. If some of the pieces of vegetables are nestled in the shells, don't sweat it. The sauce itself is a snap. Add the butter to the pot of mussel broth and buzz it down with a handheld blender (you can also transfer it to a regular blender or food processor). What you want is a smooth, yellow sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the mussels and shower with parsley before serving. Impressive and uncomplicated.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH SAFFRON AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Combine vinegar and saffron in large pot.
• Stir over medium-low heat until saffron begins to release its color, about 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes, shallots, garlic, then both oils.
• Add clams to mixture.
• Cover and cook over high heat until clams open, about 8 minutes; discard any clams that do not open.
• Using tongs, divide clams among 4 bowls.
• Mix parsley leaves into cooking liquid.
• Season to taste with salt.
• Ladle cooking liquid over clams and serve with toast.