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The Weeknight Kitchen for May 7, 2008: Clams and Mussels in Garlic-Tomato Broth

Dear Friends,

Fresh steamed mussels and clams in a golden broth spiked with tomato, wine and pepper make one of those light yet satiating suppers. If ever there was a supper bowl made for good bread and butter, this is the one. Dunk, soak, and sop to your heart's content.

Clams and Mussels in Garlic-Tomato Broth
Copyright 2008 by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Serves 2 to 3

Cook's Note: How to clean clams and mussels for cooking: Purge away nearly all grit by first scrubbing shells with a brush and cutting away any of the mussels' "beards."

Debate rages over the next step, so I'll tell you what works for me. Submerge the mollusks in a bowl of ice water. Stir in one teaspoon salt and two tablespoons cornmeal for every quart of water. Refrigerate one to several hours. Drain, rinse and cook. If a little sand remains, either ignore it or strain away.

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, thin sliced
• Generous pinch hot red pepper flakes
• Generous pinch saffron threads, or 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 large, ripe tomato, or 3 canned tomatoes, chopped
• 1-1/2 pounds hard-shell clams, scrubbed and soaked
• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and soaked
• 1-1/2 cups cooked rice (optional)

1. In a 6-quart pot combine the olive oil, garlic, pepper, saffron, and shallots. Heat 2 minutes over medium high. Add wine, simmer 1 minute, and blend in tomato.

2. Add clams, stir and cover. Simmer over medium-high to medium heat 5 minutes, or until shells start to open. Spoon any open clams out of the pot. Some will take longer to open, so keep simmering.

3. Once most clams are open and removed, add mussels, cover and cook another few minutes, or until shells open. Discard any clams or mussels that don't open. Taste broth for seasoning. Ladle into heated bowls, over rice if desired.

LYNNE'S TIPS

• As with all seafood, purchase clams and mussels from fish markets or seafood departments that handle products properly and have rapid turnover. Mollusks should be buried in chipped ice in pristine display cases. As for a "sniff test." Seafood should smell briny and fresh, like the sea. Be suspicious of a "fishy" odor indicating seafood that is past its prime.



• Saffron is the dark yellow colored stigmas from a crocus. Each crocus flower has only 3 stigmas, which must be harvested by hand and dried, making this aromatic and pungent spice the world's most expensive. Buy saffron threads in small quantity and store them airtight in a dark, cool place where they'll keep for up to 6 months. Powdered saffron loses its flavor quickly and can be altered with other ingredients. Don't bother with it.



• Use a good wine that you would drink here. A Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay would work.



• Have chunks of a good baguette or other rustic bread on hand for dipping into the flavorful broth.

THOUGHTS FROM LYNNE

With summer travel finally coming on, some interesting city guides for where to eat have been or will soon be released from publishers. Here are some current picks to check out:

• The Where the Locals Eat series by Catherine Johnson (Magellan Press, Inc., 2008) will hit bookstores in May. Check www.amazon.com to find out the American cities included in this release.



• Those lucky ones heading across the pond to Paris must pick up a copy of Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris (Broadway Books, 2008) by Clotilde Dusoulier. She's a native Parisian whose blog, www.ChocolateandZucchini.com, is wildly popular. This little book packs it in, with Clotilde's picks of restaurants, bistros, wine bars, salons de thé, bakeries, pastry shops, cheese shops, chocolate shops, cookware stores, outdoor markets and more. And there's a handy index by arrondissement.

Have a great week,

Lynne

 

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