Recipes

  Ingredients

• 2 dozen raw littleneck clams (see Joe Says, page 121 of Joe Knows Fish)
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 12 green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 recipe Chunky Mashed Potatoes (page 230), hot
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 small lemon)

Instructions

1. Put the clams in a colander or directly in the sink and rinse them thoroughly (use a sink sprayer if you have one). Set aside.
2. Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium. Add the green beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté the beans for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they’re soft with a slight crunch. Remove the beans from the pan and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over low heat and add the garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the garlic turns light golden brown.
4. Add the clams and the wine and cover the pan with a lid. Increase the heat to medium-high and steam the clams until they open, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, remove the open clams, still in their shells, from the pot. Set aside. There may be some clams that take longer to open than others, so continue cooking those for a few more minutes. After that, discard any clams that do not open.
5. Put the mashed potatoes in a bowl and stir in the capers and lemon juice. Spoon the mashed potatoes onto a serving platter. Place the steamed clams in their shells on the potatoes and scatter the sautéed green beans over the clams and potatoes. Spoon some of the clam cooking broth over the top to finish. Serve immediately.