These drunken clams and sausage are paired with white wine, chicken stock, fennel and just a touch of cream. 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. Warm inviting foods that keep you warm all winter long. You know the type of food. They type 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 is 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 top the stove. I plucked little clams out of 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 every single day.
I have made clams in the past (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 fire place to eat it next too.
I know I sound like a weirdo for loving this dish so much but seriously people!
clams + fennel + sausage + white wine = love
Drunken Clams and Sausage
These drunken clams and sausage are paired with white wine, chicken stock, fennel and just a touch of cream. Perfect when served with crusty bread.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 (medium sized) head of fennel, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 2 dozen little neck clams, rinsed and cleaned
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
In a large skillet set over medium heat add olive oil. Once the oil is hot add in sausage and begin to brown. Make sure to break up the sausage has it cooks.
Cook just until it starts to turn brown. Add in shallots and fennel. Continue cooking until the vegetables start to 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.
* 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.