Clams Bilbao-Style (Almejas a la Bilbaína)

By á-7894

Ingredients

• 3 dozen Manila, littleneck, or cherrystone clams, well
• scrubbed
• 3 cups water
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup dry white wine

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Put the clams into a large bowl or pot, and cover them with lightly salted cold water. Using your hands, swish the clams through the water, and then let them sit in the water for about 30 minutes. Drain them, and rinse them well.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the clams and the 3 cups water, and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the clams for about 5 minutes, stirring them with a wooden spoon until they open. Drain the clams, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard any clams that have not opened.
3. Pour the olive oil into a shallow flame-proof casserole, and heat it over very low heat to prevent the casserole from cracking. Add the garlic, and cook it, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until it begins to turn golden. Sprinkle the flour over the garlic, and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is well mixed with the oil and garlic. Add 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, the salt, and the parsley, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and cook for about 5
minutes.
4. Add the wine and clams, and gently shake the casserole to distribute the ingredients evenly and to coat the clams with the sauce. Add a tablespoon or so more of the reserved cooking liquid, if necessary, to maintain a saucelike consistency. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, until the sauce thickens slightly and the dish is heated through. Serve the clams and
sauce immediately, spooned into shallow soup bowls.