279. STEAMED CLAMS with BACON and BEER

yields 4 servings


4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 pounds manila clams, scrubbed well
1 cup beer, water or chicken stock


Fry bacon in a medium pot until soft and golden, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking until the bacon is nicely browned and the onion is tender, about 4 minutes longer. Stir in the clams and add the beer. Cover the pot and steam the clams for 6-7 minutes, until they open. Discard any clams that do not open. Stir gently to mix with the bacon, garlic and onion, and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Off The Hook: Reflections & Recipes from an Old Salt, by Roger Fitzgerald and Susan Volland. Ten Speed Press, January 2002.