When the world delivers a bit patch of stinging nettles, we recommend eating them.
Big thanks to our own Sara Harvey (@saraharveysuperhero) for bringing this recipe to fruition. The nettle butter itself has stinging nettles, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, roasted garlic, dried tarragon, kosher salt, and unsalted butter.
Steamed Clams with Stinging Nettle Butter
Usually you can plan on 1 lb of clams per person. However, some people can eat 5 pounds all by themselves. You do you.
Ingredients:
1 pound clams (either savory or manila will work)
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
2 ounces stinging nettle butter
2 tablespoon sliced onions (we used pickled, you can use raw, red, or whatever, and could sub shallots)
4 ounces dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignong blanc work well)
Bread for dipping
Note on all the proportions: steamed clams are very forgiving. We don't recommend measuring anything... just eyeball it.
Procedure:
Rinse clams thoroughly under cold running water.
Add all ingredients to a pot or pan with a lid. (If you're starting with raw onion or garlic, saute them over medium heat in some butter or oil for a few minutes first, until they start to sweat a bit).
Cover the pot or pan, and steam the clams on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until all the clams are opened. If the pot is very full, shake it around or stir the clams once or twice while they're cooking.
If you're cooking with purple savory clams, keep in mind that they flash open before they're fully cooked, whereas with a manila clam, opening up is generally a sign that it's cooked thoroughly.