Mussel And Clam Dish Recipe

Inspect and clean

Place mussels and clams in a large bowl of cold water. Swish to remove sand. For clams, repeat in fresh water if gritty. Discard any shellfish with cracked or open shells that do not close when tapped. Scrub shells and remove mussel beards (pull toward hinge). Set drained shellfish aside in refrigerator while you prepare other ingredients.

In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or large sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat olive oil and 2 tbsp butter over medium heat until butter melts and foams. Add minced shallot, diced celery and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is translucent and celery has softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add sliced garlic and the bay leaf and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Increase heat to medium-high and pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes, to concentrate flavor and burn off alcohol. Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and season lightly with half the salt and pepper.

Add clams first (they often take a touch longer) and cover the pot. Steam for 2–3 minutes, then add mussels, stir gently to distribute, cover again and steam until most shells have opened, about 4–6 minutes more. Shake the pot once or twice during cooking for even heat. Discard any shells that remain tightly closed after 6–7 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels and clams to a warmed serving bowl, leaving cooking liquid in the pot. If you prefer a clearer broth, strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing gently to release juices but not forcing solids through. Return liquid to low heat.

Stir in the lemon juice and optional heavy cream if using. Whisk in the remaining 1 tbsp cold butter (mounting) a little at a time until the broth is glossy. Adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes to taste.

Pour the finished broth over the shellfish in the serving bowl. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Serve immediately with slices of crusty bread to sop up the broth. Offer extra lemon wedges at the table. Leftover broth can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen.