Steamed Mussels Or Clams With Saffron Tomatoes And Pancetta Recipes

SIMPLE STEAMED CLAMS OR MUSSELS

Steps:

• Put the oil in a saucepan large enough to hold all the clams or mussels over medium heat. When hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, 5 minutes.
• Add the liquid along with the clams or mussels, turn the heat up to high, and cover the pot. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until they all (or nearly all) open, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Scoop the mussels into a serving bowl. Remove as many shallots as you can with a slotted spoon and scatter them on top. Pour or ladle off the accumulated liquid, leaving any sediment in the bottom of the pan, and pour it over the mussels. Garnish with parsley and serve with the lemon wedges.

STEAMED CLAMS IN GARLIC SAFFRON BROTH

Steps:

• Crumble saffron into 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside to steep.
• Heat olive oil in a large, shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add wine, and stir to loosen any bits from pan. Add reserved saffron broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add clams, chopped tomato, and half the chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Cover, and let steam until clams are opened, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and pepper, and serve immediately.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH WINE AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Holding mussels under cool running water, scrub with a stiff sponge or vegetable brush, then debeard: grip the tough fibers extending from the shell and pull to remove. Discard beards.
• Steep saffron in wine for 10 minutes. (Saffron is soluble in water, not fat, so it won't release its color or flavor if added directly to the butter.) Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-high heat in a shallow stockpot. Once it's foamy, add shallots, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until shallots are transparent and garlic is soft, about 3 minutes, stirring every so often to keep garlic from scorching. Pour in wine and saffron, then add tomatoes and return to a simmer, stirring once or twice.
• Add mussels and cover tightly. Cook until all mussels open, about 6 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Discard any unopened mussels. If using wild mussels, strain broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve to remove any sand, if necessary. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle with parsley before ladling mussels and broth into bowls.

STEAMED CLAMS IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse the clams in several changes of water and scrub with a small brush, such as a toothbrush. Discard any that are open or that have cracked shells.
• Place the wine in a large, lidded pan that will accommodate all of the clams (a wok with a lid works well). Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the clams, cover and cook over high heat, shaking the pan from time to time, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the clams open. Remove from the heat. Discard any clams that have not opened.
• Set a strainer over a bowl, line with cheesecloth and drain the clams. Set the liquid and the clams aside in separate bowls. You can keep the clams in the shell or remove them, whichever is most convenient for serving (it's prettiest with the clams in the shell).
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide, lidded skillet or casserole and add the shallots. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes, and add the garlic and red pepper flakes or chile de arbol. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the tomatoes and juice, the sugar, orange zest, thyme, saffron, and the liquid from the clams. Add salt and pepper to taste, bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has cooked down and is very fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Stir the clams into the tomato sauce and heat through, stirring. Add the parsley or cilantro, stir again, and serve in wide soup bowls. Drizzle a little olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice over each serving if you wish

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Remove the stringy mussel beards with your thumb and index finger as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells. Heat a 2-count drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, tomato, and bay leaves until the vegetables cook down to a pulp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the "saffron tea," red pepper flakes, and curry. Add the mussels and give everything a good toss. Add the vermouth, lemon juice, and chicken stock; cover the pot and steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the mussels open. Stir occasionally so that all the mussels are in contact with the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mussels to a warm serving bowl and cover. Pick out the bay leaves. If some of the pieces of vegetables are nestled in the shells, don't sweat it. The sauce itself is a snap. Add the butter to the pot of mussel broth and buzz it down with a handheld blender (you can also transfer it to a regular blender or food processor). What you want is a smooth, yellow sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the mussels and shower with parsley before serving. Impressive and uncomplicated.