Steamed Clams

A good soak in cold, salty water will cause clams to expell sand and grit that they may have collected while feeding in their natural environment. Soak for at least 20 minutes and rinse well. Most supermarket clams will already have undergone some similar treatment, but it can't hurt to try again. Just don't forget the salt. Submerging in freshwater will kill your clams.

Dice the shallot as finely as possible. Slice off the stem tip and remove the peel. With the point of the knife perpendicular to the root, slice as thin as possible without cutting through the root end. Rotate and slice perpendicular to yield tiny cubes.

Peel garlic cloves and chop or grate to a fine paste.

Heat some oil over medium heat in a large saute pan.

Stir in the minced shallot.

Stir in the crushed garlic.

When the garlic and shallot have begun to cook, their aromas wafting up from the pan. Pour in the white wine.

Add a bundle of thyme.

Add the Clams.

Cover the Pan. I don't have a large enough lid, so I had to use my large skillet which happens to be the perfect size.

Let the clams simmer away for about 5 minutes. Try not to peak under the lid too frequently. You want to cook the clams just until they open. Serve in a large bowl with a chunk of good sourdough to sop up the broth. Discard any clams that refuse to open.