Spicy Clams in Saffron Tomato Sauce
The Guajillo (wha-hee-oh) chile is the most common dried chile in Mexico after the Ancho. The flavor of the Guajillo is distinct, slightly fruity with a strong piney, berry under taste. Guajillo flavors dished easily so a little goes a long way. This chile is between a 2-4 on the heat scale of 1-10. Guajillo, combined with the Passilla and Ancho, form the holy trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces.
Suggested Use:
A mildly hot chile. Use in sauces, salsa, soups and your favorite chile. A little goes a long way.
Ingredients:
3 pounds fresh clams, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ yellow onion, sliced
¼ cup dry white wine
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved
1 fresh chile, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon whole pink peppercorns
⅛ teaspoon saffron threads
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
Instructions:
Yields: 4 servings
In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden. Add the clams (remove and discard any opened ones). Add the chile, dry white wine and 1 to 1½ cups water. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and saffron and cook over high heat for 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cilantro, then turn off the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. The clams should open- discard any that do not.
When ready to serve, drizzle with lime juice. Serve with sweet potato fries on the side. Enjoy!
Tips:
For extra richness, you could finish the dish at the end with a touch of heavy cream or 1 tablespoon butter.
If the dish is too spicy for your palate, you could use sweet peppers instead of the fresh chile.
From phamfatale.com