Tomales Bay Must-Have Steamer Base for Clams

My Mom and little brother, Ed, came to visit recently, and since they both love oysters, we figured that a trip to one of the Oyster Farms at Point Reyes was appropriate.

We visited Tomales Bay last time when my friend Darryl came to visit, and were caught completely unaware at the possibilities of what we could do with the fresh catch (Oysters in 5 different sizes, mussels & clams)! This time, we came prepared, with steamer base for the clams, and chowder base for the oysters.

Everything turned out delicious, but the one must have that I'm bringing on all these picnics, is the Steamer Base.  While you can BBQ the large oysters, clams are pretty little, and you end up losing a lot of their delicious clam liquor when they open up on the grill.



I brought a portable gas stove and a pot for the clams, but if you don't have a stove, you can simply put a pot on the grill, slowly let the clams open up and cook. Yum.

This is also perfect for non-picnic days, as an impressive, elegant appetizer.  Toss with spaghetti for a filling main, and I guarantee that folks will be coming back for more.

Make the base up to 3 days ahead, or freeze for up to 3 months

Steamed Clams with Fennel and White Wine Broth

Serves 6-8

4 lbs Manila Clams

12 oz bag Baby Spinach

1 batch Steamer Base, Recipe below

Bring the steamer to a boil in a large pot

Add the clams and spinach

Cover pot, and lower heat to simmer

After 8 minutes, check to see that most clams have opened, if not, cover and check again in 5 minutes

Discard any clams that are unopened

Garnish with parsley and serve immediately

For a main course, toss with 1 lb of cooked spaghetti

Steamer Base

1/2 ea Yellow Onion, thinly sliced into half moons

1 ea Leek, white part only, thinly sliced

1 ea Fennel Bulb, thinly sliced - I used a mandolin for this

5 ea Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 bottle Crisp White Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Riesling will work

1 cup Clam Juice or Chicken Broth

3 ea Roma Tomatoes, diced

1 sprig Thyme

1 ea Bay Leaf

5 ea Pepper Corns

2 tbsp Parsley, chopped to garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan

Add the onions and leeks, and saute until translucent

Add the garlic and fennel, and saute for 1 more minute

Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to a boil

Turn to to a simmer, and cook until liquid has mostly boiled off, but vegetables are still moist

Cool and chill for later use