Clams_FW

MOST WANTED

Greek Revival “SEAFOOD IS SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR FOOD CULTURE,” says Greek-American chef

Michael Psilakis of New York’s MP Taverna. “Most people use a tremendous amount of butter with it, but there are better-for-you ways to get that full flavor.” One standout from his new cookbook, Live to Eat: Cooking the Mediterranean Way (Little, Brown), is the creamy garlic puree, which adds body and richness to these clams with fregola and herbs (p. 95). (It’s just as genius stirred into soup, risotto or anything else.) “While you’re eating it, you think, How can this be healthy?” —JULIA HEFFELFINGER F E B R UA R Y 2017

96

+

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

Psilakis shares his healthy recipes at foodandwine.com/ michaelpsilakis.

F O L L O W U S @ F O O DA N D W I N E

photograph: con poulos; food stylist: simon andrews; style editor: suzie myers. bowl by kh würtz from monc xiii; small plate by malinda reich

RECIPE REQUEST

MOST WANTED from p. 96

Garlicky Littleneck Clams with Fregola page 96

Active 1 hr; Total 3 hr 30 min Serves 4 to 6

A sweet, superversatile garlic puree is the star of this satisfying dish. In addition to swirling it into the silky broth, Michael Psilakis spreads the leftovers on toast in place of butter or folds it into Greek yogurt for a quick dip.

GARLIC PUREE

3 cups garlic cloves (about 7 heads of garlic) 8 sprigs fresh thyme 1 fresh bay leaf 1 Tbsp. kosher salt 1½ tsp. black peppercorns 1¼ cups canola oil 1¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil CLAMS

2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic cloves to a mini food processor and puree until smooth. You will have about 1½ cups of garlic puree. Strain the oil from the casserole into a 1-quart heatproof jar and discard the aromatics.

Let the oil cool completely, then refrigerate; reserve for another use.

3. Make the clams In a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the fregola until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes; drain well.

4. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil.

Add the sliced garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the clams, wine and ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the garlic puree and stir to coat the clams. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, shaking the pot occasionally, until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. As they open, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving bowl; discard any that do not open.

1 cup dry white wine

5. Add the fregola, lemon juice, scallions, chopped herbs and more garlic puree, if desired, to the broth; season with salt and pepper. Pour the garlic broth over the clams and garnish with chopped parsley and dill sprigs. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

MAKE AHEAD The garlic puree can be

2/3 cup dried fregola 2 Tbsp. canola oil 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 5½ dozen medium littleneck clams, scrubbed

2 scallions, thinly sliced ¼ cup chopped parsley leaves, plus more for garnish ¼ cup chopped dill, plus small sprigs for garnish

refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 1 month.

WINE Minerally Greek white: 2015

Argyros Estate Assyrtiko.

2 tsp. finely chopped mint

AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD

“Ryan’s recipes are always accessible, affordable, and super tasty.”

—RACHAEL RAY

Kosher salt and pepper Lemon wedges and crusty bread, for serving

“For any busy or novice cook, Ryan takes away all the excuses for why you can’t make a delicious meal.”

1. Make the garlic puree Preheat the oven to 300°. In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, combine all of the ingredients. Cover and braise in the oven until the garlic is very tender, about 1 hour; let cool to room temperature.

—CARLA HALL

Customer Service and Subscriptions: For 24-hour service, please use our website: foodandwine.com/customerservice. You can also call 800-333-6569 (813-979-6625 for international subscribers) or write to Food & Wine at P.O. Box 62160, Tampa, FL 33662.

Food & Wine (ISSN-0741-9015). February 2017, Vol. 40, No. 2. Published monthly by Time Inc. Affluent Media Group, 225 Liberty St., New York, NY 10281. FOOD & WINE is a trademark of Time Inc. Affluent Media Group, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Publications Mail Commercial Sales Agreement No. 40036840 (GST# 129480364RT). U.S. and Canada Subscribers: Subscriptions: 12 issues, $37; Canada, $49. If the postal authorities alert us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years. Your bank may provide updates to the card information we have on file. You may opt out of this service at any time. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Food & Wine, PO Box 4226, Toronto, ON M5W 5N7. Postmaster: Send change of address to Food & Wine, P.O. Box 62665, Tampa, FL 33662-6658. Food & Wine does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, drawings, photographs or other works. All rights in letters sent to Food & Wine will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to unrestricted right to edit and to comment editorially. Contents Copyright ©2017 Time Inc. Affluent Media Group. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Member of the Alliance for Audited Media.

F O L L O W U S @ F O O DA N D W I N E

Chef Ryan Scott’s shortcut solutions to master quick, home cooked meals.

95

“Ryan is one of the most creative, knowledgeable and humorous chefs I know.”

—SUNNY ANDERSON

©2016 Ryan Scott. Published by Oxmoor House, an Imprint of Time Inc. Books.