The Clam Recipe

Prep clams

Rinse and scrub clams under cold running water to remove grit. Discard any clams with cracked shells or that don't close when tapped. Place clams in a bowl covered with cold water while you prepare other ingredients.

Sweat aromatics

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or wide sauté pan, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat until the butter foams. Add the minced shallot and sauté for 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze

Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any fond from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes, to concentrate flavor and burn off most alcohol.

Simmer broth

Add the chicken or clam stock, fresh thyme, bay leaf, kosher salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.

Steam clams

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the cleaned clams to the simmering broth in a single layer if possible. Cover the pot and steam for 5–7 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until clams open. Discard any clams that remain closed after 7 minutes.

Strain (optional)

For a clearer broth, remove clams with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean saucepan to remove grit and solids. Return the strained broth to medium-low heat.

Finish broth

Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of cold cubed butter into the warm strained broth off the heat or over very low heat to create a glossy, slightly thickened emulsion (monter au beurre). Add lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, tasting and adjusting—use more lemon juice if you prefer brighter acidity.

Return clams

Return the open clams to the warm finished broth to heat through for 1 minute. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and optional red pepper flakes over the clams and broth.

Serve

Ladle clams and broth into warmed shallow bowls. Serve immediately with crusty bread or grilled sourdough slices to soak up the broth. Offer additional lemon wedges at the table if desired.