Dinner Tonight: Drunken Clams with Sausage + Grilled Garlic Toast

This week's Dinner Tonight blends the best of both fast and flavorful, with a fragrant dish of drunken clams and sausage with a side of crispy grilled garlic toast (because if you're going to mop up drunken clams with toast, why not make that toast perfect?). Buy a nice bottle of white wine on your way home from work (or steal some from the recipe) and cheers to your delightful meal and the warm summer night.

The Menu

Drunken Clams with Sausage
by QueenSashy



Serves 4


4 dozen littleneck clams cleaned and scrubbed
2 sweet Italian sausages (about 10oz)m casing removed and meat separated into small pieces
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 of small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (optional)
5 small garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
3/4 cups sweet white wine, such as Muscat
10 large fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

1. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, until soft, for about 3-4 min. Add the garlic, celery and fennel and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the sausage meat and cook for another 5 minutes, until the meat is nicely browned.

2. Add the wine (both dry and sweet) and bring to boil. Add the tarragon.

3. Add the clams, cover with a lid and cook, shaking the saucepan from time to time, until the clams are open, for about 6 minutes.

4. Add the heavy cream, gently shake the saucepan to mix, and simmer over low heat uncovered, for another 2-3 minutes.

5. Spoon the clams into bowls or soup plates. Stir the parsley into the broth, season with pepper and then pour over the clams. Serve with fresh bread.

Save and print this recipe on Food52.

Grilled Garlic Toast by Merrill



Get the Grilled Garlic Toast recipe on Food52.

The Grocery List

Serves 4

4 dozen littleneck clams
2 sweet Italian sausages (about 10oz)
1 medium yellow onion
4 celery stalks
1/2 of small fennel bulb
6 small garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups dry white wine

3/4 cups sweet white wine, such as Muscat
10 large fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
4 slices good country bread

We know you've got a well-stocked pantry and have olive oil, salt, and pepper on hand.

The Plan

1. Turn on your grill and start with the prep. Clean your clams and scrub off any grit. Remove the sausage from the casing, separating the meat into small pieces. Thinly slice the onion and fennel, chop the celery, and mince 5 of the garlic cloves.

2. Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a large saucepan, and cook the onions until soft. When soft, add the garlic, celery, and fennel and cook for another 4 minutes, then add the sausage meat and cook for 5 more, until the meat is nicely browned.

3. Add both wines and bring to a boil. Then add the tarragon.

4. Throw in your clams, cover and cook, shaking the pot from time to time. Cook until the clams open, about 6 minutes.

5. While the clams are cooking make the toast. Brush each slice of bread with olive oil -be generous! - sprinkle lightly with salt, and grill each side until crispy. When done rub one side of each slice with the remaining clove of garlic.

6. Add the heavy cream into the clams once they open, and simmer uncovered for an additional 3 minutes.

7. Stir in the parsley, season with pepper, spoon into bowls with heaping ladles of the broth and bites of sausage, and serve alongside your crusty bread.

8. Sit outside, pour large glasses of wine, and enjoy the evening and your masterpiece.

Photos by James Ransom