This is part of Destination Dinner Party, featuring impossibly delicious menus from Maine, Portugual, and Thailand. Join us as we eat our way through each dreamy locale.
Ingredients
1/4 cup Portuguese or extra-virgin olive oil, or unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped cilantro, or to taste
1 cup Vinho Verde or other light white wine
1 teaspoon Hot Pepper Paste (recipe below)
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
36 small littleneck clams (3 pounds), scrubbed
Lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
In the bottom of a deep 4-quart pot with a tight lid, heat the butter or oil and lightly cook the garlic, just until it becomes aromatic. Toss in the cilantro and stir in the wine, pepper paste, salt, and pepper.
Add the clams, gently turn to coat, and cover tightly. Cook over medium-high heat until the clams have opened, 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the clams. Discard any unopened clams. Taste the broth and season with more kosher salt as needed. To serve, ladle the clams, with some broth, into shallow bowls. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing, and plenty of crusty bread to soak up the juices.
