Clams in Sherry Sauce
Every winemaking culture in the world cooks with its local product, but only Spain has sherry. And while sherry is not quite all-purpose, as simple white wine is, it is manifestly more powerful and incomparably more complex; in fact it rivals stock in the character it adds to many dishes.Serve this as an appetizer or a main course, with good bread for sopping up the sauce.
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
- 2 shallots or 1 small onion, diced
- 3 to 4 pounds clams, the smallest you can find, scrubbed of all sand
- ½ cup Fino, Amontillado, or Oloroso sherry
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter, more or less, or more olive
- oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions:
- Put the oil in a deep skillet or flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
-  Add the clams and raise the heat to high; cook, stirring occasionally, until the clams begin to open and release their juices, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl with a slotted spoon and add the sherry to the pan. Cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more, then stir in the pepper and butter.
-  Return the clams to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for another 2 or 3 minutes. Put the clams on your serving dish; add the lemon juice to the sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the clams, garnish with parsley, and serve.