Cozze O Vongole Recipe

Rinse and purge

Place mussels and clams in a large bowl of cold water. Rinse to remove grit. For clams, soak 20 minutes to purge sand, changing water if very sandy. Discard any shellfish with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped.

Scrub shells with a stiff brush and remove beard from mussels by pulling toward hinge. Drain and set aside refrigerated until ready to cook.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.

Add minced shallot and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned.

Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Pour in the white wine and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer and let the alcohol cook off for 1–2 minutes.

Add the stock (or water if preferred), 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring the liquid to a rolling simmer.

Add the clams to the simmering broth first, cover with the lid and steam for 3 minutes.

Add the mussels on top of the clams, reduce heat to medium, cover, and steam until shells open — about 5–7 minutes more. Shake the pot once or twice during cooking to redistribute heat.

As shells open, use a slotted spoon to transfer opened shellfish to a warmed bowl. Discard any shellfish that remain tightly closed after 7–8 minutes.

Return the pot with the cooking liquid to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tbs olive oil and the cold butter pieces, stirring or swirling the pot until butter melts and the sauce becomes slightly glossy.

Stir in torn basil leaves and chopped parsley, lemon zest and the juice of half the lemon (reserve remaining half for serving). Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Pour the broth over the bowl of shellfish or return mussels and clams to the pot just to warm through briefly. Sprinkle with a little more torn basil and serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread, or toss with cooked pasta and a few tablespoons of the broth for a pasta version.