86. ROASTED CLAMS with CHICKEN, ARTICHOKES, and BACON

serves six


6 chicken thighs
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup chopped slab bacon or high-quality thickly sliced bacon
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 to 12 fresh, frozen or canned artichoke bottoms, thickly sliced
24 fresh clams, soaked and cleaned
2 large yellow or red tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until it begins to release its fat. Add chicken to pan skin-side down and add garlic. Cook about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until each side is browned. Add artichokes, clams and tomatoes, stirring between each addition. Cook 5 minutes or until all clams have opened. Discard any clams that have not opened. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.


courtesy of: “At Sea: Queen Mary 2,” by Denise Dube, in Intermezzo, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 56.