Little Necks (6) Recipe

Purge and clean clams

Rinse the little neck clams under cold running water. If any have sand or grit, gently scrub shells with a stiff brush. If time allows, soak clams in a bowl of cold salted water (about 1 tbsp salt per 2 cups water) for 20–30 minutes to purge sand; discard any open clams that do not close when tapped.

Open clams

In a wide sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, pour the dry white wine and 1/2 cup water. Add the cleaned clams in a single layer, cover, and bring to a vigorous simmer. Steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until the clams open. Remove the pan from heat immediately when most clams have opened. Discard any clams that remain tightly closed after 6 minutes.

Reserve cooking liquid

Use a slotted spoon to transfer opened clams to a bowl. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or paper towel to remove grit; reserve about 3/4 cup of the strained broth for the sauce. If you reserved any additional shell liquor from the clams earlier, add up to 2–3 tablespoons to the strained broth to deepen flavor.

Sauté aromatics

Wipe the sauté pan dry and return it to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter foams, add the minced shallot and cook gently for 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the sliced garlic, thyme leaves, and bay leaf and cook for another 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build the sauce

Pour the reserved strained clam-wine broth into the pan with the aromatics and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes to meld flavors and reduce slightly.

Return clams to sauce

Add the opened little necks (and any juices they released) back into the pan. Toss gently in the simmering sauce for 1 minute just to rewarm and coat the clams. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Finish and serve

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon cold butter and the chopped parsley to give the sauce a glossy finish. Add the lemon juice and taste; adjust salt and pepper as needed. Transfer clams and sauce to a shallow serving bowl, discard the bay leaf, and sprinkle a few more chopped parsley leaves on top.

Serve immediately with toasted bread or crostini to mop up the broth. Each diner gets one little neck clam; feel free to double the recipe if serving more people or for additional clams per person.