Brixham Cockles & Clams

The last few weeks have been absolutely mental working with the Gingerline girls! It's not up yet but check out their website in the next few days to see what I have been getting up to. I hope this may go a little way to explaining why I have been so quiet (or lazy) on the blog front.

This weekend I have swapped Brixton for Brixham in Devon and am having a throughly foodie time with my parents. Last night the mamma and I had a feast starting with this dish, Cockles & Clams with smoked bacon, prawns & rosemary oil.

The local fishmonger Stephan was given a bag of clams that morning by one of the local fishermen and did us a very good deal so I couldnt resist making this little dish.

1 Smoked bacon rasher (or lardons), Sliced

1 clove garlic, grated

Butter

1 tomato, finely cubed, seeds and core removed

1 glass dry white wine

1 squeeze of lemon

Curly parsley

100g shells off prawns (little brown shrimp would be great)

2 large handfulls each of clams and cockles

A drizzle of rosemary oil (optional)

Fry the bacon in a large pan until crispy. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more before adding the white wine and a generous knob of butter. Fiercely simmer the wine for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol. Meanwhile place all the molluscs in a large bowl of cold water and after a few minutes discard any that don't close. Add the rest to the pot along with the prawns and cover with a lid. Cook on high for a few minutes until all the shells have opened - discard any that don't. Add the tomatoes and chopped parsley and season with some black pepper. Divide into bowls and drizzle with rosemary oil (Basil oil is lovely here too).

Serve with hot baguette and a chilled white wine.

We followed this with a rare rump steak, salad, asparagus and holandaise sauce.

Finishing up with a stinking camembert and grapes. Good work La Mamma.