Clams in Romesco Sauce
Almejas RomescoRomesco pepper sauce, originating from the region of Tarragona, has a long history and is traditionally served as an accompaniment for grilled shellfish or mixed seafood dishes. This version of Almejas Romesco features small clams and a flavorful Romesco sauce with a touch of aguardiente or grappa.
Ingrediënten
Serves: 4 to 6
Fish Broth:
- 1 small whole fish such as whiting, head on, cleaned
- ¼ cup of dry white wine
- 1½ cups of water
- ½ bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 small onion
- 1 small carrot peeled and halved
- 6 peppercorns
- Salt
Clams:
- 2 dozen very small clams such as Manila or littleneck
- 2 pimientos cut into thin strips
- ½ cup of red wine vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
Romesco Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 ¼-inch slices of thin long-loaf (baguette) bread
- 3 garlic cloves
- 12 blanched almonds
- ¼ cup of dry white wine
- 1 dried red chile pepper seeded and crumbled
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of aguardiente or grappa
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Instructies
- Rinse the clams thoroughly.
- Discard any clams with cracked shells or those that do not tightly close when touched.
- Prepare the fish broth by placing all the broth ingredients in a medium saucepan and bringing them to a boil over high heat.
- Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour.
- Pass the broth through a strainer, reserving 1 cup of broth and discarding the solids.
- Heat the olive oil in a large shallow earthenware casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the pimientos and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the pimientos to a blender or food processor, reserving the oil.
- In the reserved oil over medium heat, add the bread and garlic.
- Cook, turning the bread once and stirring the garlic, until both are golden.
- Transfer them to the blender.
- Add the almonds and blend until a paste forms.
- With the motor running, gradually add ¼ cup of the reserved broth until well blended.
- Add the remaining ¾ cup broth and the wine, blending until the sauce is smooth.
- Heat the casserole dish over medium heat.
- Pass the contents of the blender through a fine-mesh strainer into the dish, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Discard the solids.
- Add the chile pepper and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the clams in the dish, cover, and cook until the clams open, removing each as it opens.
- Discard any unopened clams.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then remove the casserole dish from the heat.
- Stir in the aguardiente or grappa and return the clams to the dish, ensuring the clam meat is covered by the sauce.
- Cover and let the dish sit for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Reheat the clams in the casserole dish over medium heat until they are heated through.
- Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
- If using earthenware, serve hot in the dish, or transfer to a platter.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Enjoy this wonderful dish of clams in Romesco sauce with the distinctive flavors of Spain.
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