Steamed Clams in White Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped leeks
• medium shallots, chopped
• tablespoon schopped bacon
• 1/2 cup swhite wine
• cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• tablespoon butter
• teaspoon sdried tarragon
• pound sfresh Manila clams
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Saute leeks, shallots, and bacon in a skillet over medium heat until fat is extracted from the bacon, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and bring to a simmer.
2. Add cream, peas, Parmesan cheese, carrots, butter, and dried tarragon; bring to a simmer. Add clams, cover, and steam until clams open, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Tips

I bought a bunch of live clams on a whim one day because the lady at the seafood counter said they were just caught fresh that morning. I had never had clams before, nor had I ever prepared them. But I knew that a few key ingredients would make them taste fabulous, like bacon, shallots, cream, cheese, and wine. How can you go wrong?! I like to let the liquid reduce a bit before I add the clams, to allow the sauce to become a bit richer. I also prefer a lot of sauce because I like to dip my bread in it but adjust the ingredients as you wish.