Drunken Clams with Wine, Garlic and Kielbasa
This easy yet gourmet drunken clams recipe is deliciously fantastic. It's so simple to make! Tender and briny littleneck clams are bathed in a rich and creamy wine and garlic broth along with smoky kielbasa and fresh cherry tomatoes. Add a loaf of crusty Italian bread for a dinner you will not forget!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 557kcal
Ingredients
- 4 dozen littleneck clams
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 pound fully cooked kielbasa cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1 large onion diced, about 2 cups
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tablespoons salted butter cut in pieces
- 1 cup dry white wine Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- loaf of Italian bread cut in slices, and toasted or grilled
Instructions
- Place clams in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Add the cornmeal and kosher salt. Stir. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- Heat a grill to high heat.
- Drain and rinse the clams in a colander.
- In a deep foil pan (9 inch x 13 inch) add half of the kielbasa.
- Add the clams, the remainder of the kielbasa, onion, cherry tomatoes, garlic, salted butter, dry white wine and heavy cream.
- Cover the pan with foil.
- Place the covered pan on the grill grate and close the lid.
- Cook the clams for about 10 minutes and then stir. Recover the pan and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the clams have opened and the sauce is bubbling.
- Remove the pan from the grill. Sprinkle the clams with the fresh parsley and basil.
- Serve with the toasted or grilled bread.
Notes
Clams are alive before cooking them. Fresh clams have tightly closed shells. If any clams are open, gently tap them on the counter to see if they close. If they remain open, toss them out as the clams are no longer alive.
Skip using iodized salt in the cornmeal sand purge as it will kill the clams before cooking.
Some littleneck clams with cook faster than others. Half way through the cooking time, stir the clams so they have enough room to open.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of recipe | Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.3g | Protein: 31.2g | Fat: 35.6g | Saturated Fat: 16.2g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 1519mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 4.5g