Steamers Recipe

Rinse clams and mussels under cold water. Discard any with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. Scrub shells to remove debris and pull any beards from mussels. Set shellfish in a bowl in the refrigerator while you prepare other ingredients.

If using roma tomatoes, halve and remove seeds; chop roughly. If using cherry tomatoes, halve them. Pat tomatoes dry.

Finely dice the shallot, thinly slice the garlic, chop parsley and basil. Slice the baguette into 8 pieces approximately 1/2" thick.

Toast bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush each slice lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle the dried herbs evenly. Toast in the oven for 6–8 minutes until golden and crisp, flipping once halfway through.

Finish crostini

Remove crostini from oven. While still warm, rub each slice with the whole garlic clove to impart garlic flavor. Optionally spread a thin film of softened butter on each slice. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) until serving.

Heat a large wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When shimmering, add the tomatoes cut-side down (if halved) or whole cherry halves. Let cook, undisturbed, 3–4 minutes until skins blister and char spots appear.

Push charred tomatoes to the side, reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the sliced garlic and diced shallot. Sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant and softened but not browned.

Add the white wine to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the tomatoes and pan. Let the wine reduce by about half (about 1–2 minutes) to concentrate flavor and burn off alcohol.

Pour in the seafood or chicken stock and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and the lemon juice.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the clams and mussels to the pan in a single layer if possible. Cover the pan tightly with a lid and steam for 5–7 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until most shells have opened.

Remove the lid and discard any shellfish that remain tightly closed. Gently stir in the chopped parsley and basil, and spoon some of the tomato pieces and broth over the shellfish to combine flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.

Transfer the clams and mussels to a large shallow bowl or individual bowls, pouring the tomato-wine broth over them. Sprinkle a little extra chopped parsley on top for color.

Serve immediately with the herbed crostini on the side for dipping into the broth. Recommend 2–3 crostini per person alongside the steamed shellfish.