I experienced a few firsts over the weekend, including a trip to the Marin Country Mart and lunch at Rustic Bakery (purveyor of the finest flatbreads I’ve ever tasted). And, after living in the Bay Area for more than 30 years, I finally walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.
It was a gorgeous and surprisingly warm afternoon.
But that’s not all! I also prepared this fresh clam and mussel stew, featuring local seafood purchased at the Marin Country Mart Farmers’ Market.
To be honest, I’m not a big fan of mollusks (with the exception of scallops), which is why I’ve avoided working with them in the past. However, I was eager to take on a new ingredient challenge – and so, on Sunday, I did.
While the dish involves quite a few steps (some less fun than others, like scrubbing mussels and straining broth), the process is straightforward. And the final product is delicious.
Clam and mussel stew is chock-full of vegetables and the flavors of the shellfish are subtle yet discernible. Serve it with a green salad and no-knead focaccia for a light and healthy meal.
Recipe adapted from 7×7.
- 4 quarts water
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 6 stalks celery, cut into 1" pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds clams, scrubbed and rinsed
- 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded and rinsed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 6 stalks celery, diced
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup dry white wine
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- fresh cilantro (for topping, optional)
- Place all broth ingredients (water through cayenne pepper) in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve; discard vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add clams and mussels and cook until they open. Turn off heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the clams and mussels to a large bowl and discard any that are unopened. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
- When clams and mussels are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and set aside; leave some intact for garnish, if desired.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add garlic and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Then add wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Add 4 cups prepared broth and clam and mussel meat and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve immediately.
