CLOUDY BAY MOON SHELL CLAMS WITH SAUVIGNON BLANC & PARSLEY BUTTER

Recipes and food styling Des Harris / Photography Tony Nyberg

	dash of pure olive oil
	1 small shallot, finely diced
	4 large cloves garlic, chopped
	2 cups flat-leafed parsley, very finely chopped plus extra parsley, to serve
	100g butter, softened
	1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
	10g ground almonds
	1 teaspoon sea salt
	12 Moon Shell clams (or any of the Cloudy Bay clam varieties would suit this dish)
	100ml sauvignon blanc
	lemons, to serve
	green Tabasco, to serve

1.	To make the parsley butter, sweat the shallots and garlic in a little olive oil until translucent, then drain and cool.
2.	Blend the finely chopped parsley with the softened butter in a food processor.
3.	With the processor running, add the cooled shallot mix and Dijon mustard.
4.	When the parsley is well mixed, blend in the ground almonds and salt.
5.	Refrigerate before using.
6.	Put the clams into a frying pan and add the sauvignon blanc.
7.	Cover with a lid and cook on a moderate heat until the clams begin to open.
8.	Take each clam out of the pan as it opens to avoid overcooking.
9.	Once the clams are all open and out of the pan you are left with a flavoursome cooking liquor.
10.	On a low heat whisk 50g parsley butter into this cooking liquor to create the sauce (the remaining butter will keep in the fridge for a week).
11.	Add the reserved clams back to the sauce and gently warm through.
12.	Chop 1 tablespoon of parsley and toss with the clams, then put into a serving dish.
13.	Finish with a squeeze of lemon and lashings of green Tabasco.