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This drunken clams recipe is paired with white wine, chicken stock, fennel, and just a touch of cream. They are perfect when served with crusty bread.
You know what I love?
Comfort food.
When I think of traditional comfort food, I think of French onion Salisbury steak, veal and sage meatloaf, or even short rib chili. These are warm, inviting foods that keep you warm all winter long. You know, the type of food that sticks to your ribs and keeps you full for hours.
Sadly, I wrote off seafood as being comfort food.
Until now.
This dish is packed full of clams, spicy Italian sausage, shallots, fennel, white wine, chicken stock, and just a touch of cream. The broth is soup-like and perfect for sopping up with a big hunk of crusty bread.
I made this dish in the afternoon, and for lunch, I found myself eating it over the stove. I plucked little clams from their shells and used my bread to sop up any remaining broth in the pot. It was the type of lunch I wish I had time for daily.
I have made clams (linguine alle vongole and beer steamed clams) but have never made them in a way that reminds me of comfort and cool weather. The only way this dish could be better is if I had a fireplace to eat it next to.
I know I sound like a weirdo for loving this dish so much, but seriously, people!
clams + fennel + sausage + white wine = love
Drunken Clams Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a 12-inch high-sided skillet set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add in sausage and begin to brown. Make sure to break up the sausage as it cooks.
- Cook the sausage just until it starts to turn brown. Add in shallots and fennel. Continue cooking until the vegetables soften and the sausage is no longer pink.
- Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add in white wine and cook down half way.
- Pour in chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Place cleaned raw clams on top of mixture, slightly pushing them into the stock. Cover and let cook for about 8 minutes or until completely opened. If any clams do not open throw them away.
- Carefully remove the opened clams from the dish and add cream to the sausage mixture. Cook for 5 minutes and either add the clams back to the dish for serving or divide clams equally between bowls and pour the hot sausage/broth mixture overtop.
Notes
- Want to learn how to clean your clams? Read all about it in my beer steamed clams post.
- Prep time includes the time it takes to clean your clams.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I don’t think I understood the important of comfort food before living in Wisconsin. Now, I get it and absolutely love the sticks to your ribs and keeps you full for hours kinda food. Damn girl, this is freaking beautiful. . drunken clams and sausage . . leave me the entire loaf of crusty bread and consider me happy. oh my gawd, this looks so good.
Your broth is so rich and beautiful! Definitely comfort food!
WHOA! That is beautiful. You always amaze me with all your delicious dinners.
This looks out of this world!
You are speaking my language ~ yes, clams and sausage combined for perfection!!! I think this will be our dinner tonight, just will have to use a non-dairy cream. Both my girls just discovered that they love steamer clams (yes, I am so excited) so this will be perfect and easy. Yay!
Man, do I ever love clams! I could happily eat helping after helping of this recipe.
I’m just going to tip the bowl right into my mouth ; )
You don’t sound crazy at all – this looks so good!! There’s nothing better than a steamy bowl of shellfish and a giant hunk of crusty bread.
Clams have never made me feel like they’re comfort food either…until now! Ooo to dunk a piece of bread in that broth!
For some reason, I’ve always been nervous to cook with raw clams in the shell. But I love every single thing about this dish! I need to get over that fear ASAP!