If you like moules mariniere, you’ll love these little clams! Cooked in exactly the same way, the steam from the stock and wine opens up the shells with thyme, lemon and garlic adding plenty of aromatic flavour. Finished off with a parsley oil, the broth is the best thing you can dip a piece of bread into.
Start by making the parsley oil. Bring a small pan of water to the boil, then add the parsley and blanch for 10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of iced water, then squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible
Put the blanched parsley in a blender with the oil and a pinch of salt. Blitz for a few minutes until completely smooth and bright green, then strain into a container through a fine sieve lined with muslin cloth (or kitchen paper). It will take a while to strain, and you can keep the oil for a few days in the fridge before it starts to lose flavour and colour
To cook the clams, put a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the butter and garlic and cook for a few minutes until aromatic
Add the wine, stock, thyme and lemon juice and bring to a simmer
Tip in the clams, cover and simmer for 4 minutes, shaking the pan regularly, until all the clams have opened (discard any that don’t)
Ladle the clams and broth into bowls, then spoon over the strained parsley oil. Serve with the toasted baguette and chives and lemon zest sprinkled over the top
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