Summertime Cooking with Sur la table

Summer is the season for fresh cooking. This Clam and White Bean recipe by Sur la table is light and zesty—made with dry white wine, fennel and lemon. We recommend pairing this with a crisp glass of white wine enjoyed while sitting outside. 

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small fennel bulb, fronds reserved
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 36 littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• Toasted bread slices, for serving

Procedure

To marinate beans:

In a mixing bowl, add beans, ¼ cup olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper; toss to combine and set aside.

To prepare fennel:

Quarter and core fennel bulb. Using a mandoline, cut fennel into thin slices.

In a large pan set over medium heat, add remaining ¼ cup oil. When oil is shimmering, add fennel, shallot, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until fennel is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add wine, clams, lemon zest, and half of lemon juice to the pan with fennel. Stir, cover with a glass lid, and cook until clams begin to open, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove any of the opened clams to a bowl, cover the pan again, and continue to cook until the rest of the clams open, a few more minutes. Discard the clams that did not open.

Add opened clams back to the pan, along with marinated beans. Cook just until the beans are heated through, about 2 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and remaining lemon juice. Add reserved fennel fronds and chopped parsley and gently stir to coat.

Serve clams with toasted bread on the side.

Recipe courtesy of Sur la table. To shop and learn more about Sur la table, located in Rosemary Square (formerly known as CityPlace), visit www.rosemarysquarewpb.com/west-palm-beach-shopping/sur-la-table.