Steamed Littleneck Clams with Clam Nectar, Frizzled Leeks, and Hot Pepper Butter Sauce

Steamed shellfish always make a nice first course and these spicy clams are no exception to the rule. Be sure you discard any clams that arrive unopened. Hot Pepper Butter Sauce is also great with steamed cracked crabs.

3 cups julienned leeks, white part only
1 quart clam juice
1 cup sauternes
8 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed

Hot Pepper Butter Sauce:
1 cup clarified butter
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce or other Louisiana hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
2 cups peanut oil

Chill the leeks in ice water until ready to use.

Heat a stainless-steel pot over medium-high heat until hot, then add 2 cups of the clam juice, 1/4 cup of the sauternes, and 4 dozen clams. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the pot so the clams cook evenly. As the clams open, remove them immediately to a heated bowl to keep them warm. (Be sure to remove the clams as soon as they open; they become chewy and tough if overcooked.) Repeat with the remaining juice, wine, and clams.

Strain the cooking broth and pour a little in each heated serving bowl. Place the bowl in a preheated 200F oven for 10 minutes before serving.

For sauce, in a blender, puree the butter, hot sauce, lemon juice, and parsley until the mixture reaches an even consistency. Place in a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and keep warm.

Drain the leeks and dry them on paper towels. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat and deep-fry the leeks until frizzled, crispy, and crunchy. Drain the frizzled leeks on paper towels.

Place a mound of leeks in the center of the clams. Pass the Hot Pepper Butter Sauce at the table.

Source: A Taste of Heritage: The New African-American Cuisine by Joe Randall, Toni Tipton-Martin