CLAMS

First time doing this, inspired by a note from my friend Christy AND a simple yet beautiful clam dish that magically wielded itself in to the perfect meal for a cloudy, chilly, damp February evening (of course, cloudy, chilly, and damp are all relative when you live in Southern California).

The key to this dish is the pan. I used a Le Crueset or equivalent 12" saute pan.

Vinaigrette: Juice of 1/2 large lemon, tbsp brined capers, 1 rough chop shallot, 1 large handful of parsley, salt/pepper. Blend in small food processor or mini chop, stream in olive oil to emulsion. Refrigerate.

Heat pan on high heat and add a coating of extra virgin olive oil or spray, added 3 cloves of wafer thin sliced garlic, 1 large shallot also sliced wafer thin, red pepper flakes: take garlic and shallots to translucent, add 1 cup of white wine (I used white Bordeaux). Add two pounds of little necks (I would have used cockles if they had been available), allow clams to open, add a handful of well chopped parsley (at this point you could add peeled and deveined shrimp and let them quickly cook with clams or add some chunks of linguica or spanish chorizo*). Remove from heat, leave in pan to serve. looks very rustic.

Drop small spoonfuls of viniagrette in to each clam shell.

Serve with toasted artisan bread** and simple salad of mixed greens and herbs with lemon/olive oil/sea salt/pepper shards of parmesan***/dried sour cherries/pecans****.
*omit or substitute a chicken or turkey version if you want something with lower fat
**omit if you are carb free
***omit for less fat
****omit pecans for less fat
Serves 4.