'Almejas al Vino Blanco’: Clams in White Wine
Here’s a simple and delicious recipe to bring the flavors of northwestern Spain to your table. I recommend you try this out with a wine native to the same region: albariño. I particularly love this bottle from the producer La Caña that you can order for less than $20 on Wine.com.
You can find this plus some other recommendations and a ton of info about this grape on my blog post Albariño Grape Essentials.
If you’re not into Albariño, you can try this with any dry white wine! A little higher acid option pairs better in my opinion, but it’s your dinner so make it your own!
One of the things I like most about a recipe like this is that you don’t need to worry about exact measurements. The quantities below are suggestions. If you follow them exactly, you’ll love the outcome but you can also get creative and adjust as you see fit. Just wait until the aromas fill your kitchen!! You’re in for a treat...
'Almejas al Vino Blanco’: Clams in White Wine
Ingredients
2 lb clams (I used Little Necks – see what you can find fresh!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 14.5oz can tomatoes peeled, seeded, and diced
1-2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ - ¾ cup water
9-12 ounces Albariño
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Smoked paprika to taste
Ground nutmeg to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
Fresh bread for dipping
1 lemon cut into wedges
Preparation
Soak the clams in water in the refrigerator for two hours to release any grit. Rinse thoroughly under running water and discard any open clams.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook the shallot over medium heat until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and tomato and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper, paprika, nutmeg, crushed red pepper, and pour in the water.
Add the clams and cook, covered, over low heat for 5-8 minutes or until they open. Discard any that do not open.
Add the wine and butter and cook another 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly, stirring gently so the clams stay in their shells.
Serve immediately with fresh bread and a squeeze of fresh lemon
Did you try making this recipe? If so, I want to know how it turned out! Drop a comment below and let me know.
Cheers, Montana Rae
Need a wine pairing?
Check out a few of my favorite bottles to pair with this dish!
One of my all-time favorite whites. This wine is made from vines grown in steep hillside vineyards in the northwest corner of Spain in the Galicia region. The grape is Albariño, a thick-skinned, high-acid green grape and I believe these to be some of the most underrated whites in the world.