This delicious recipe comes from Jamie Oliver, it's a one pot wonder with little washing up and lots of flavour. Sweet roasted shallots with a bite from the fennel with zesty lemon and refreshing white wine sauce and tasty meaty palourde clams all mopped up with chunks of bread. This dish is a fantastic family dinner and equally a show stopper at an informal dinner party.
INGREDIENTS
- 20 round shallots
- 1 large bulb of fennel
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- olive oil
- 2 kg palourde clams
- 300 ml Gavi, or other Italian white wine
- 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley , (30g)
- 1 lemon
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
Halve the unpeeled shallots and place cut-side-up in a large roasting tray. Trim the fennel, slice into 2cm wedges and add to the tray.
Using a pestle and mortar, bash the fennel seeds and chilli flakes, then sprinkle over the shallots. Drizzle over 4 tablespoons of oil, season and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the shallots are golden and coming away from their skins.
Wash the clams under cold running water, scrubbing the shells and pulling off any seaweed stuck to them. Make sure they are all tightly closed – tap any open ones, and if they don’t close, discard.
Remove the shallots and fennel from the oven and turn up the oven to full whack. Remove the shallots and fennel to a plate, taking care to leave all the lovely juices in the tray. Remove and discard the skins from the shallots, then set aside until needed.
Add the clams to the tray of juices and pour over the wine. Pick and finely chop the parsley, finely grate the lemon zest, and mix most of it through.
Halve the lemon, rub with oil and pop in the pan, then cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the clams have opened (discard any that have not).
Sprinkle the remaining lemon zest and parsley over the dish and gently fold everything through the lovely cooking juices.
Serve with glasses of chilled Italian wine and crusty bread.
Recipe and picture Jamie Oliver