SAKE STEAMED CLAMS & Ginger Butter sauce - Recipe by Koji Cooks

SAKE STEAMED CLAMS with Ginger Butter Sauce

If someone were to ask me about my top 5 favorite foods, clams would definitely top the list. I enjoy clams prepared in every possible way, ranked by preference: raw on the half shell, grilled until they pop open, steamed, stuffed, and in countless pasta dishes. Growing up in Northport, NY, we would grill clams until they opened, accompanied by my dad's butter sauce, almost every week by the bushel. This is a steamed clam recipe, though not by the bushel, as clams aren't as cheap as they used to be unless you dig them yourself, which is another one of my favorite activities. Serve with toasted French bread for dunking.

SAKE STEAMED CLAMS & GINGER BUTTER - Recipe (serves 4)

32 washed little neck clams

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons minced shallot or onion

1/3 cup sake

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

1 cup of clam juice or water

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher. salt

20 grinds of fresh black pepper

GINGER BUTTER - Combine the butter sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat on low until the butter melts. Stir and serve in small bowls alongside the clams.

8 tablespoons sweet butter

1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce or sriracha

1 teaspoon peeled fresh grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

METHOD

Place the clams along with the nxt 7 ingredients in a large pot, cover and cook over medium high until they open, about 7-10 minutes allow to rest covered for 2 mintues, serve with butter sauce on the side for dipping and toasted baguette for dunking, the leftover broth freezes well for countless other dishes.

KOJISAN - CHILLIN