Manila Clam Recipe
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour, 10 minutes
Servings:
4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups fresh carrot juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
  • ¼ cup minced leeks, cleaned, white and light-green parts only
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine
  • ½ pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 cups good-quality couscous
  • 2 cups small cauliflower florets
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 pounds Manila clams
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • Minced parsley or chives, for garnish
Directions
  1. Make the carrot sauce: In a saucepan, combine the carrot juice and ginger, and reduce by half. In a separate pan, sweat the leeks, shallot and garlic in the butter with a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and cook until tender, trying not to let the vegetables brown.
  2. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the pan is almost dry. Add the sliced carrots, reduced carrot juice and a generous pinch of salt. Cook covered over medium-high heat until very tender. Place the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of water if necessary.
  3. Make the couscous: Preheat the oven to 400°. Cook the couscous according to the package directions. Toss the cauliflower in the olive oil and season with salt. Roast on a sheet pan until browned and tender, about 15 minutes.
  4. Fluff up the couscous and add the roast cauliflower, and keep warm on your serving platter while you cook the clams.
  5. Make the clams: In a large sauté pan with a lid, sweat the shallot and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until softened. Add the Manila clams and the wine, turn the heat to high and once boiling, cover to steam the clams. Steam for approximately 2 minutes, until almost all the clams are open. (If a few remain closed, discard.) 6. Remove the clams with a slotted spoon and place onto the couscous and cauliflower, leaving the remaining liquid in the pan. Return the pan over high heat and reduce the liquid by half. Add the carrot sauce and season generously with lemon juice before stirring in the final tablespoon of butter.
  6. Spoon over the clams and couscous, sprinkle with minced chives or chopped parsley if you're feeling fancy, then serve.