Steamed Clams a l'Indienne
East Indian Ingredients Infuse French Favorite: Steamed Shellfish
We're not after "Curry in a Hurry" here. Steamed Clams make a wonderful starter for a slow food meal. This recipe is a spicy alternative to clams a la mariniere.
One of the great things about steamed clams or mussels is that it slows down the meal. Not so much the cooking, because they are very quick to fix. But the process of eating takes longer. You are forced to pay close attention to what you're doing. And it's a little messy, so it's better suited to an informal meal. Bibs are optional, but save the silk shirt or blouse for another occasion. You pick up each clam and fork out the meat. You toss the empty shell into a bowl, lick your fingers and pick up a piece of bread to sop up some of the lovely clam liqueur in your bowl.
How the cooking of East India came to be incorporated in French cuisine is uncertain. Nevertheless, there are a number of recipes in most French cookbooks called ",,,a l'Indienne" or "au kari." This recipe uses typical Indian ingredients -ginger, coriander and coconut- to make an intriguing alternative to the more usual a la mariniere method of steaming clams.
Steamed Clams a l'Indienne
You Will Need:
A Large Skillet with a Tight-Fitting Lid
- 1/8 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, sliced lengthwize and slivered
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 dozen hard-shelled clams, washed and thoroughly scrubbed (refer to Buying, Storing, Cleaning Clams & Mussels)
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground hot red pepper (or to taste)
- In a large skillet over medum flam, heat oil until a light haze forms above it.
Directions:
- Add ginger ans stir fry just a minute and then add the onions. Cook, stirring constantly until they are soft and have begun to caramelize to a golden brown, about 6-7 minutes. Don't let them burn.
- Stir in the salt, ground coriander and turmeric and cook for a minute or so, until well blended.
- Add the clams, stirring them so that they are coated evenly with the onion mixture.
- Cover the skillet tightly, reduce the heat to low, and steam until the clams open, 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the clams and the onion mixture to a warmed serving platter. Discard any clams that did not open. Sprinkle the clams with coconut, lemon juice, fresh coriander and red pepper. Serve at once.
Serve with plenty of crusty French bread to sop up the liqueur.
Yield: 4 starter portions or 2 as a main course
Variation:Try this recipe with mussels instead of clams, or a mixture of the two. Tomatoes and garlic are also possible additions.
