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Countneck Clams in Black Bean Sauce

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 2 servings

Equipment

  • skillet or wok with a lid

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh countneck (littleneck) clams scrubbled/washed
  • 2 tbsps cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger finely minced
  • 3 large cloves garlic (about 2 tbsp) finely minced
  • 2 scallions cut into rounds
  • 1 long hot red pepper sliced thinly
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fermented black beans rinsed, drained, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 cup clam broth
  • 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • a few dashes of white pepper
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed into a slurry with 2 tbsps water
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Combine brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Heat skillet till hot. Add the cooking oil when pan starts to shimmer. Swirl pan to coat oil all over bottom. Add the ginger and garlic, stir till fragrant. Add the scallion, red pepper, and fermented black beans, and stir fry the mixture for about 15 seconds. Add Shaoxing wine, clam broth, and soy sauce. Stir till mixed and liquid starts to boil. Add the clams and cover. Cook for approximately 4 minutes or until clams have opened. Once a good number of them have opened, remove the cover and give everything a stir.
  • Stir in the sugar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Discard any of the clams that didn’t open. Taste and adjust, you can add a bit more chili garlic if you like it spicier. Add about half of the corn starch slurry to the liquid in the skillet and stir. Add more slurry if needed to further thicken the sauce.
  • Stir in the chopped cilantro and gently stir the mixture so the sauce coats the clams.
  • Serve immediately. Best way to eat them is to slurp them right out of the shell so you get the delicious sauce in every bite.

Notes

Good for two servings for an appetizer or for one person as an entree. 
Harbor Fish Market sells St. Our Clam Broth which is a very good substitute for fresh clam broth.  Shaoxing wine, fermented black beans, and Chili Garlic Sauce are available at Veranda Market on Forest Avenue in Portland.