Clam recipes

Clams with pea shoots and wild garlic

Name: Clams with pea shoots and wild garlic
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 2kg fresh clams, in their shells; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced; Leaves from 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs; 200g fresh or frozen garden peas, thawed if frozen; 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry; 1 tbsp rice vinegar (white wine vinegar would be fine); 250ml fresh vegetable stock, hot; Handful (about 100g) snow pea shoots or watercress, washed and thoroughly drained; Handful (about 100g) wild garlic leaves (or 25g garlic chives/kow choi, from oriental supermarkets, or fresh chives), trimmed and roughly chopped

A quick and easy clam recipe bursting with fresh summery flavours from peas, pea shoots and wild garlic.

Serves4

Hands-on5 min

Oven10 min

DifficultyEasy

Method

Wash the clams under cold running water, then discard any with broken or open shells. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan. As soon as it is hot, add the spring onions, thyme and garden peas. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the clams, wine or sherry, vinegar and stock. Cover and steam for 3-4 minutes, or until all the shells open. Discard any that stay shut.
Uncover, add the pea shoots or watercress and garlic leaves or chives and cook until just wilted. Check the seasoning – you could add a dash of soy or pinch of salt – and serve.