Photo by: Photo: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro
Infuse fresh mussels and clams with the sweet, smoky flavor of applewood chips for a tantalizingly unique grilled seafood dinner. A white wine sauce reduction featuring clam juice and reserved liquor turns this dish into a truly extraordinary entrée. Serve with grilled bread and a mixed green salad.
Be sure to soak the wood chips in water before adding them to the grill so they'll smolder with flavorful smoke as the shellfish steam. We like the subtle, almost sweet flavor of applewood, though you can try hickory for a more assertive taste. If using a gas grill, place wood chips inside a small disposable aluminum pan; cover with foil, and perforate the foil. Place the container on the cooking grate with the Dutch oven in step 3.
Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2009
1. Soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes; drain well.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
3. Place wood chips on hot coals. Place a large Dutch oven on grill rack. Close grill lid; heat 2 minutes. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomato; close grill lid, and cook 3 minutes. Remove grill lid. Add wine; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until reduced to 2 tablespoons, stirring occasionally. Add thyme, juice, and clams; close grill lid, and cook 5 minutes. Remove grill lid. Stir in mussels; close grill lid, and cook 5 minutes. Coat bread slices with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side or until toasted.
4. Remove clams and mussels from pan using a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid in pan; discard any unopened shells. Cover clams and mussels; keep warm. Discard thyme sprigs. Bring reserved cooking liquid to a boil. Cook 15 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup; remove from heat. Add butter, parsley, and chopped thyme, stirring until smooth. Return mussels and clams to pan; toss to coat. Serve with grilled bread.
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Smoky Mussels and Clams with White Wine Broth recipe
