Insalata di Vongole

By LeeBoruchow

Warm Salad of Clams and Cockles with Roasted Pepper-Olive Crostini

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup julienne rhubarb
• 12 littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 20 cockles, scrubbed and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 head escarole, cut into 1/2-inch ribbons, washed and spun dry to yield 4 cups
• 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch julienne
• 1 tablespoons black olive paste
• 12 thin slices of baguette, toasted

Preparation

Step 1

In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat olive oil until smoking. Add garlic and rhubarb and cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add littleneck clams and wine and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until all the clams are open, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, assemble crostini by first mixing roasted peppers, olive paste and remaining oil together. Divide pepper mixture among 12 toasts and place three on the rims of each of 4 plates. Add cockles to littleneck pan and cover. Cook until cockles open, about 1 minute. Add vinegar and escarole and season with salt and pepper. Stir through then divide escarole, clams and cockles among plates and serve.