Clams with green sauce (Almejas en salsa verde)

It’s all about the green sauce in this quick Basque dish of clams and parsley. Use the shells to scoop up a mouthful of sauce with every clam. Food Safari Water

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 50 ml olive oil
• 50 g butter
• ½ brown onion, very finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 kg clams, purged (see note)
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 100 ml dry sherry

Instructions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the onion, chilli and garlic and cook for 10 minutes or until soft and translucent.

Increase the heat to high, then add the clams and toss the pan for a brief minute. Add the flour and half the parsley and stir to coat well. De-glaze the pan with the sherry, to come to the boil, then add 150 ml water and the remaining parsley. Cover and bring to the boil. Once the liquid has boiled, remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. Continue simmering for a few minutes – just until the clams have opened. You may need to add a little water.

Remove and discard any unopened clams, then serve immediately.

Note

• Most packaged clams have already been purged, but if you’re buying loose clams, place in a sink or bowl of cold salted water (sea water is ideal) and soak for 2 hours, agitating the clams occasionally to help remove the grit from inside the shells and changing the water several times

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Rachel Lane. Creative concept by Belinda So.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.