Clams with Spicy Sausage

I (like most people, I’m sure) cook mostly things I want to eat. Every now and then, I will get a special request and will go outside my comfort zone (like this Meatloaf recipe, or this Sriracha Deviled Eggs recipe) but when it comes to a weeknight dinner, I’m really selfish about what I cook. So I thought it might be nice if I finally made something that was up my boyfriend’s alley more so than mine.

Don’t get me wrong, I still like what’s going on in this recipe. I just don’t usually make meals with sausage. But I was reminded of this recipe for Clams with Spicy Sausage as a suggestion to make on World Oceans Day as a Perfect Protein blogger (more information on that in my post on Thai Coconut Mussels), which was June 8. So. Um. I’m a little late. But this recipe is too tasty not to share!

This recipe can be found in the book The Perfect Protein: The Fish Lovers Guide to Saving the Oceans and Feeding the World and is from the ultimate seafood chef, Eric Ripert. This man knows his fish; one of his restaurants, Le Bernardin is known as a seafood mecca. But this recipe is really easy to make and cooks quickly, making it perfect for weeknight meals. I altered the recipe slightly but the gist is still the same.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• the zest of 1 lemon
• 1 andouille sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
• 2 dozen littleneck clams, well scrubbed
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• lemon wedges, for serving

Begin by adding the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Slice your onions, sausage, and garlic and measure out the curry powder. Zest your lemon. When the olive oil is warm, add the garlic, onion, curry powder, and lemon zest.

Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion has softened and becomes translucent.

Add the sausage and cook for about 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Add the clams, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times, until the clams open. (Don’t get too nervous, they really don’t pop open until the last minute. Just give it a good shake after 5 minutes with the lid still on.)

Using a slotted spoon, place the clams in shallow serving bowls, discarding any clams that don’t open. Pour the broth over the clams. Top with the chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

So as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t really like sausage. But even if you don’t like it, still add it to the meal and find a friend who will eat it with you. The sausage adds so much extra flavor to the broth and clams. Andouille is a smoked sausage and is typically found in Cajun cooking so it adds a bit of a kick but isn’t overly spicy.

The onions in this are fantastic. They cook down so they have a bit of a sweet and spicy thing going on.

Be sure to use low sodium chicken broth, or else the dish might be too salty!