Ready in 20 minutes

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Serves 4 people

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This is a great way to get a lot of wow factor without a lot of work. This recipe was inspired by a pot of steamers I had at an Italian restaurant. It had a rich tomato-y broth that was so savory and delicious. It was a nice change of pace from the typical white wine butter sauce, and felt like a hearty winter version of an old favorite.

Ingredients

• ½ fennel bulb thinly sliced, reserve a few of the fronds for a  garnish

• 1 medium shallot thinly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp anchovy paste

• 1 cup white wine

• 1 cup broth or stock, chicken, veggie or fish

• 1 lb mussels

• 1 lb clams

• 2 tbsp EVOO

Preparation

1. Heat 2 tbsp of EVOO over medium high heat, in a dutch oven. Add the fennel, shallot and garlic and sauteé until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes, sprinkle with s and p. 

2. Stir in  the tomato paste and anchovy paste. Let the pastes get all happy with the aromatics, then add the white wine and broth. Simmer for 7-10 minutes until the wine has reduced and the alcohol has cooked out.

3. Add the mussels and clams.  Cover the pot and let the shellfish steam for about 5 minutes. The shells should be wide open. If they don’t open, don’t eat them! That means they were dead before you cooked them and they are no good. 

4. Once the shells are open, turn off  the heat. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper, and transfer to a big bowl.

5. Garnish with the fennel fronds and serve with toasted crusty bread or alongside a simple pasta. Enjoy!