WHITE BEANS WITH CLAMS

White Beans With Clams image

Provided by Moira Hodgson

Time 1h55m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 pound large white dried beans
2 onions, peeled and cut in halves
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 carrots, scraped and cut in half crosswise
2 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
Few strands saffron
Coarse salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 dozen very small clams, at room temperature
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 dried red chili pepper, crumbled
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Steps:

Soak the beans overnight. The following day, drain them and cover with cold water. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, parsley sprigs and bay leaves. Bring to boil, add one cup cold water to cut the boil, then return to a boil, cover and simmer very slowly one-and-a-half to two hours, or until beans are tender.
When the beans are almost tender, start preparing the clams. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is wilted. Add the clams and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until they open. Sprinkle in the paprika and the parsley. Add the wine, chili pepper, salt (if necessary), and pepper. Cook 5 minutes more.
Stir saffron and salt into the beans, add clams with all liquid in the pan. Shake to mix in clams and liquid. Cover and cook for five minutes.
Serve the beans in soup bowls with the clams arranged on top.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 457, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 56 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 14 grams, Protein 24 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 513 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams