Smoky Andouille Clams

Food52 recently posted an article on clam recipes and it really made me long for them. It's such a summery ingredient to me, reminding me of days spent at the beach. There was recipe in particular that Food52 featured that made me drool -  Smoky Clams for Two, a recipe from the kitchens of Summer of Eggplant. I've taken inspiration from that recipe and modified it just a bit. 

Brian and I enjoyed this yummy recipe on a Wednesday night, so as you see it is quite easy to make. It's a one pot meal with very little chopping and prep work. You can serve this over pasta to make it heartier, or with a loaf of bread. I made a really delicious broccoli dish to go with it that I suggest you give a shot.

Smoky Andouille Clams
makes 2 servings

2 lbs little neck clams
1/2 lb Andouille pork sausage (sliced into coins)
1 yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbsp dry white wine
1 tbsp smoky paprika
1 lb fresh cherry tomatoes (I prefer yellow)
1 cup chick peas (optional)
1/2 lemon juice
15 oz. can clam stock (Bar Harbor brand)
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
olive oil

Get a big old Dutch oven or soup pot out on the stove. Add just a splash of olive oil and crank up the heat to medium - medium high. Add the Andouille which has already been sliced into coins. Cook through, browning both sides which will take about 5-6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Leave all the grease behind.

Lower heat to medium and add the onion. Let cook for 4 minutes before adding the garlic and paprika. Let that cook for another 2 minutes and then deglaze the pot with the white wine, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Now add a bit of salt and pepper. 

Add in the cherry tomatoes and chick peas and let cook down for 5 minutes. Add the clam stock, lemon juice and bay leaf, with a good amount of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. 

Add the clams and Andouille back to the pot and nestle the clams into the simmering sauce. The clams will take about 8 minutes to open up, so give it time. Once the clams are opened, turn off the heat and serve in bowls. If serving with pasta, just pour the sauce and clams over a bowl of pasta. 

And here's that tasty broccoli recipe I was talking about before. Don't be scared of fish sauce. It smells fishy for like 5 seconds when you put it in the pan, but then it turns into delicious, salty, umami flavor. I promise. Give it a try. Mixing it with soy sauce it the bomb.

Tangy Broccoli
makes 2 servings

2 crowns broccoli (cut into florets, stem cut into coins)
1 shallot (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
olive oil

In a large saute pan, heat about 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and let cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and let cook for another 1 minute. Only add a small dash of salt as the fish sauce and soy sauce add salt.

Lower heat to low and add broccoli, fish sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice. Mix to combine everything and cover with a lid. Let cook for about 20 minutes on low heat, stirring every so often.