This is a wonderful winter dish—fresh and simple with nothing to get between you and pure clam flavor. Steaming the clams first in a little white wine, then using that liquid in place of broth, infuses the rice with a briny essence that totally sings. Because of the star ingredient, you shouldn’t need to use much salt in the dish, and cheese here would be a no-no. A little butter at the end provides the perfect touch of richness, while a bit of lemon zest accents the clams perfectly.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a high-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add 3 cloves of the garlic and sauté for a minute or two, until soft. Add the clams and wine, cover and steam just until the clams open, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 2
Discard any clams that fail to open. Strain and reserve the liquid. You should have about 4 cups liquid; if you don’t, add water to make 4 cups. Place in a saucepan and set over low heat until hot. Put the clams in a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator until cool enough to handle. For easy eating, shuck the clams when cool. Discard the shells and reserve the meat. For a fancier presentation, leave the clams as is.
Step 3
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the remaining 3 cloves garlic and the onion until soft but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the reserved liquid, 1 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes, before the next addition. When finished, the rice should be toothsome but not crunchy. If necessary, continue to add liquid to achieve the desired consistency. When the rice is just al dente, remove the pan from the heat and fold in the clams and butter until the risotto is glossy.
Step 4
Divide the risotto among 4 warm plates. Drizzle each plate with olive oil. Grate lemon zest over the top of each plate and serve.
