Cockles in White Wine
A Simple but Very Tasty Starter, you can of course use clams. I have no idea where this recipe came from but I have been using it since about 1978. I do have a vague recollection of having something similar at Alfredos Restaurant; in Morecambe so I think the kudos should go to them.
A Simple but Very Tasty Starter, you can of course use clams. I have no idea where this recipe came from but I have been using it since about 1978. I do have a vague recollection of having something similar at Alfredos Restaurant; in Morecambe so I think the kudos should go to them.
- Carbohydrate 12.98155 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 15.13345 g
- Fiber 0.893999963998795 g
- Protein 30.56625 g
- Saturated Fat 1.873095 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (258g)
- Sodium 27.1836666666667 mg
- Sugar 12.0875500360012 g
- Trans Fat 1.96602 g
- Calories 302 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oil and garlic in a pan.
- Take the cockles out of the salt water and wash, add them to the pan and cook until they just start to open.
- Now add the white wine cover the pan until the cockles are fully open, season with salt and pepper and serve the cockles covered with the chopped parsley and with lemon wedges.
Do I really need a specialty pot for bivalves
Why use a dedicated heavy-bottomed Dutch oven when a standard large stainless steel saucepan will suffice as long as it has a tight-fitting lid? Shellfish demand trapped steam to force open their shells rapidly without overcooking the delicate meat inside. Ensuring the lid seals properly keeps the internal ambient temperature high enough to generate steam within two to three minutes of adding the wine. If steam escapes around a warped lid, line the rim with a damp kitchen towel to create an airtight temporary gasket.
Managing garlic and oil in a hot pan
Garlic burns quickly in olive oil heated past medium, turning acrid and bitter within seconds. Crushing the cloves rather than mincing them allows the aromatics to infuse the oil gently without scorching during the initial sauté phase. Keep the heat moderate while sweating the garlic until it becomes translucent and fragrant. This technique prevents bitter compounds from leaching into the cooking juices that ultimately form the base of the broth.
Substituting clams and controlling salt
Swapping cockles for small littleneck clams requires no adjustment to the liquid ratios, though larger hard-shell clams will need an extra two minutes of steaming time to yield. Because bivalves retain natural sea salt even after purging, withhold additional salt until the very end of the cooking process after you have tasted the reduced pan juices. Adding the chopped parsley at the very end preserves its bright green color and volatile oils against the remaining heat.
