Vongole (White Clams) in White Wine with Garlic Bread

Vongole (White Clams) in White Wine with Garlic Bread

Today, I want to have a dinner without pasta, rice and noodle... Something different from what Asian normally have for our normal meal.

Vongole in White Wine with Garlic Bread comes to my mind...

I got this idea from one of my facebook friends who took a picture of this dish from a restaurant she dine in.

White Clam or Vongole, as commonly known in Italian are widely used in Italian Cuisine. You can see recipes from pasta, cold starter to soup with Vongole as the main ingredient. Aglio Olio Linguine with Vongole, Clam Chowder , just to name a few, should not sound too unfamiliar. I guess it got to do with the natural seafood sweetness in Vongole that bring out a savoury taste in simple dishes that ones can't forget...

Ingredients

1. 800g of Vongole
2. 1 tablespoon of Chopped Garlic
3. 1 tablespoon of Chopped Chives
4. 1/2 tablespoon of Chopped Chilli (Deseed) or Dried Chilli Flakes (eg. Brand Masterfood)
5. 1 tablespoon of Cornflour
6. 35g of Margarine or Butter
7. 350ml of White Wine
8. Italian Herbs (eg. Brand Masterfood)
9. Course Black Pepper
10. Frozen ready-made Garlic Bread (eg. Brand Sunshine)

Preparations

1. Leave White Clams in a Salted Water for an hour to three to ensure that sands in the White Clam is fully purge out.  
2. Add 1 tablespoon of Water to Cornflour mix into Starch for later use
3. Wrap Frozen Garlic Bread in Aluminium Foil and put it into Oven at 180 degree celsius for approx 20 minutes or accordingly to the package information

Steps

1. Add Margarine into hot pan
2. Add Garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, before it turned brown
3. Add Chilli and stir-fry for 30 seconds
4. Add Chives and stir-fry for 30 seconds
5. Add White Wine and bring it to boil
6. Add White Clams and spread them evenly on the pan
7. Cover pan and allow time for Clam shells to open
8. Discard Clams that failed to open
9. Add the starch preparation slowly into hot pan and stir fast to avoid starch lumps, stop adding once the sauce has thicken to the level which you desired
10. Sprinkle Italian Herbs and Black Pepper and it is good to be serve

Serve while hot with Toasted Garlic Bread.

Good to be serve as a Side or a Main Course if you are not too hungry! =P

Tips and Comments:

• Use fresh clams for the fresh seafood taste.
• Remember to allow time for clam to purge out the sands and toss hard to remove all the sands during preparation process.
• Once Clam shell are opened, it means they are cooked, overcooking will result in tough and chewy clam.
• Do not force open the clam shell if they failed to open during the cooking process. It could mean that the clam is not fresh and there may be sand in the shell.