This is an excellent twist on steamed mussels and clams; and a great excuse to pull out your mother's or grandmother's cast-iron skillet hand-me-down.
Special equipment needed: one 14-inch cast- iron skillet with a lid (or you can use heavy duty tin foil). If you don't have a cast iron skillet use a heavy roasting pan with heavy-duty tin foil.
Serves 4 as a main course
Ingredients:
20 mussels scrubbed and beards removed
20 small hard-shelled clams such as little necks, scrubbed well
3 lbs of mixed organic heirloom potatoes such as Purple Peruvian, Russian Banana and Red Thumbs, washed
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
16-20 garlic cloves smashed with the back of a knife and peeled
4-5 small red onions, quartered length wise leaving the root intact
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¾ organic red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes halved lengthwise
½ teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup chopped fresh organic marjoram, basil and Italian parsley
Method:
Preheat oven to 500°
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add vinegar and potatoes to the boiling water (the vinegar will hold the beautiful color of the purple and red potatoes). Boil whole potatoes until barely fork tender (you do not want to overcook the potatoes because you are going to roast them next). Drain potatoes in a colander and cool. Cut potatoes into quarters length wise. Place potatoes in the cast-iron skillet (or roasting pan) and toss with olive oil, garlic, onions and salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes until golden. Add mussels and clams and red pepper flakes. Cover pan with a lid or tightly cover with heavy-duty tin foil and roast until mussels and clams are fully open about 10 minutes. When done sprinkle with sliced cherry tomatoes and chopped fresh herbs.
Note: Throw out any mussels or clams that do not fully open. This is an indication that the bivalve was dead when purchased.
As always use as many organic ingredients you can find for optimum flavor and health benefits.
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