910. STEAMED MANILA CLAMS with SOFRITO, SWEET SAKE, BACON and FRIED GINGER

serves six


3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
1/4 cup julienne of fresh ginger
1/4 cup chopped bacon
1 cup diced white onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup 1/4-inch diced red peppers
1/2 cup 1/4-inch diced yellow peppers
1/2 cup 1/4-inch diced poblano peppers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
48 Manila clams (New Zealand cockles can be substituted)
1/2 cup sweet sake
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a small frying pan, add the julienne of ginger, and cook until golden. Drain and set the ginger on a paper towel to dry.

Add the bacon to a large, hot frying pan and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is cooked and crisp. Add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add all the peppers and cook until they are soft, then sprinkle in the thyme. Add the clams and sweet sake to the sofrito in the pan, and cook until the clams have steamed open. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place 8 steamed clams in each bowl and spoon the sofrito mixture on top. Garnish with the fried ginger and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.


courtesy of: Michael Cressotti and Taka, Sushi Samba 7, 87 Seventh Avenue South, New York, New York 10014