Garlic Clams

Twelve cloves of garlic for 24 clams sounds aggressive, and it is. That’s exactly the point. This isn’t a subtle French moules mariniere; it’s an Italian-American red-sauce-joint dish where garlic is the star and the clams are just along for the ride.

Sautéing the garlic and scallions in butter and oil for just one minute is deliberate. Longer and the garlic browns and turns bitter; shorter and it stays raw and harsh. One minute hits the sweet spot where the garlic oils release without taking on color.

The three-liquid broth base (white wine, clam juice, and water) is what gives this dish its depth. Wine alone would taste too acidic; clam juice alone too briny; the three together balance into something rich and oceanic.

Cherrystone clams are the right size here, not littlenecks or chowders. Cherrystones are meaty enough to stand up to the strong garlic, but not so big they turn rubbery under the cooking time.

Kitchen Tips

• Scrub the clams hard under cold water before cooking. Any clam that’s open and doesn’t close when tapped should be discarded.
• Don’t lift the lid while the clams cook. Steam is what opens them; lifting the lid lets it out and delays cooking.
• Any clam that hasn’t opened after 12 minutes is dead and should be tossed.
• Tear warm crusty bread into chunks and use them to sop up the broth. The broth is arguably better than the clams.

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for heat.
• Swap white wine for dry vermouth for a more herbal, aromatic broth.
• Serve the whole thing over cooked linguine for linguine alle vongole.