Steamed Clams with Italian Sausage and Fennel
On a recent trip to Spain, I was intrigued by the variety of superb seafood dishes offered on nearly every restaurant menu. Of everything I tasted, my favorite was a bowl of steamed clams with homemade sausages in a wine-and-tomato broth, which inspired me to create this recipe.
I prefer making this dish with littleneck or Manilla clams, depending on which are most readily available in the market. As for the wine in the broth, I like a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or South Africa, which tend to be oak-free. You may certainly use a California Sauvignon Blanc, but seek out one that has been fermented in stainless steel, not wood. The oakiness of the wood tends to dumb down this dish; you want a zippy, bright, slightly acidic wine. As well, I like to add a splash of Pernod, which helps liaise the wonderful flavors.
Serve with a loaf of crusty bread to soak up the juices, or with toasted, day-old country bread rubbed with garlic. Serve with the chilled remains of that Sauvignon Blanc you used for cooking, or try a crisp white French Sancerre, or a chilled white Spanish Torrontes.
My Steamed Clams with Italian Sausage and Fennel Recipe
Photography by Jim White - Napaman
Carol White
Carol White is a Napa Valley-based food writer and editor who has passionately devoted herself to the study of food and cooking. She was previously based in Toronto, where she worked as a food editor for one of Canada’s most popular magazines, Canadian Living, and edited a weekly food column for Canada’s largest newspaper, The Toronto Star. Carol is also the editor of the highly successful President’s Choice Cookbook and President’s Choice Barbecue Cookbook. Over the years, Carol has evolved a style of cooking that friends call “Cuisine Carolaise.” While not French, per se, Cuisine Carolaise can be described as rustic, clean, rich in flavor and based on the freshest, best-quality ingredients available.