Zuppa Di Clams Recipes

ZUPPA DE CLAMS (OR MUSSELS)

Steps:

• Wash and dry the clams and soak them in a large bowl in cold, salted water for about 30 minutes.
• Any remaining sand should fall to the bottom of the bowl.
• Drain the clams and rinse them well in a colander under running water.
• Crush one clove of garlic, and slice the remaining cloves very thin.
• In a large, heavy pan, sauté the crushed garlic until it begins to brown, then remove from the pan and discard.
• Add the remaining sliced garlic and the parsley.
• Cook over very low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and enough liquid to just make a slightly soupy dish.
• You don't want too much liquid in this, but judge the amount to your taste.
• Season with the salt and pepper, then raise the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes.
• (Add more liquid if necessary).
• Add the clams, lower the heat again, cover pan, and let steam for about 10 minutes, or until the shells have opened and the clams are ready.
• Discard any unopened clams.
• Sprinkle with more freshly ground pepper and the basil, if desired.
• (You can substitute a teaspoon of dried if you wish).
• Serve in shallow bowls with slices of bread for dunking.

ZUPPA DI VONGOLE: CLAM SOUP

Steps:

• Remove excess sand from clams by soaking them in a bowl of cold salted water. The clams will open up their shells and release any sand and grit that is inside.
• In a pan, heat the 1/4 cup oil and fry up 2 cloves garlic, the chili pepper, the stone, if using, and cherry tomatoes until the tomatoes soften and lose their shape, about 3 minutes.
• Add the clams, and cook for 30 seconds with the lid on, shaking the pan often.
• Add the wine to the pan, and cover with the lid until the clams have completely opened.
• The clams release some water, which is the base for the soup. Add a generous splash of white wine. You can make this more soupy by adding a little more wine or even a few spoonfuls of tomato puree.
• Add the parsley and salt, to taste. Continue cooking for another minute for all the flavors to come together.
• Rub some raw garlic on the toasted bread slices. Drizzle the bread with the extra virgin olive oil. Serve the clam soup in bowls with 2 half slices of toast per bowl.

ZUPPA DI CLAMS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, add the EV olive oil, the shallot, the garlic and the peperoncino, as desired. Let the garlic turn blonde and add the clams. After 30 secs, add the wine and half of the parsley. Let the clams saute in the wine for about 10 mins. or until they have all opened. Cook for another 2 mins. and serve. Garnish with the remainder of the fresh parsley.

ZUPPA DI MUSSELS (CLAMS) O VONGOLE AL POMODORO

Steps:

• (Start preparing a day ahead.).
• Cooking Time: 30 minutes.
• Preparation:.
• Soak shellfish overnight in salted water (in sea water if available, or see instructions below.).
• Drain in a colander. Mince abundant parsley, cut the tomatoes, and grind some pepper in your peppermill.
• Sliced garlic as finely as possible. Not minced, just paper thin fine slices.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy 3 quart saucepan or Dutch oven over very low heat. Add the garlic; cook slowly until the garlic just begins to turn very light brown, this should take about 10 minutes. 2. Add the crushed red pepper, if using, and remove from the heat. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Return the pan to high heat; add the wine and boil 3 minutes. Add the cleaned clams or mussels and cover tightly. Steam, shaking the pan occasionally, just until the shells open, about 2 minutes for the mussels, 6 minutes for the clams. 60 seconds before completion add tomatoes and parsley if desired, more red pepper or black pepper to taste. Spoon the shellfish and broth into shallow bowls and serve very hot.
• Cook a minute or two more, and serve, with toasted bread or over pasta.
• Note:.
• If one of the shellfish fails to open upon being cooked, do not eat it! It was already dead when it went into the pot, and eating it could make you quite sick.

ZUPPA DI PESCE FRA DI AVOLO

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir sea scallops, shrimp, and calamari rings in the hot oil until scallops and calamari are opaque and shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes.
• Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and add mussels and littleneck clams to the boiling water; cook until shells have opened, about 3 minutes. Remove shellfish and rinse with hot water.
• Pour crushed tomatoes, water, 2 cans chopped clams, 1/4 cup olive oil, onion, red pepper flakes, garlic, oregano, parsley, and salt into a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir cooked scallops, shrimp, calamari, mussels in shells, and littleneck clams in shells into tomato mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
• About 10 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes; drain and rinse pasta in hot water to prevent sticking. Serve seafood and sauce over pasta.