The clean flavors of lemongrass, clams, and ginger meet buttery white beans and sweet scallions in this fresh take on surf and turf. With Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Blanc, use lemon juice to finish; tangy lime shines more with Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and Pinot Gris.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs littleneck or manila clams
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass
- 2 bunches scallions or green onions, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2” – 3” piece fresh ginger, scrubbed clean
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut water
- 1 Tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce, such as Red Boat or Three Crabs
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 15-oz cans (about 3½ cups) creamy white beans, rinsed and drained
- 2-3 Tbsp unsalted butter (or vegan alternative like Violife)
- fresh lemon or lime juice to taste
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- Optional: ¼ cup fried onions
Directions
Soak the clams in cold, heavily salted water. Meanwhile, whack the back of a sturdy knife along the lemongrass stalks to bruise them, then cut crosswise into two-inch pieces. Put the pieces in a medium pot with 1½ cups of water and bring to a boil, covered; once boiling, turn off the heat.
Slice the scallions; grate the garlic and ginger. In a wide skillet, add the oil, garlic and all but ¼ cup of the sliced scallions and saute 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the coconut water, brown sugar and fish sauce. Use a garlic press or your hands to squeeze the grated ginger over the pan to extract the concentrated juice (save ginger solids to use as an infusion for tea or homemade ice cream). Simmer 2-3 minutes, then gently stir in the beans and keep at a low simmer.
Scrub the soaked clams free of any grit on the shells, then rinse them with cold water. Bring the lemongrass liquid back to a boil on high heat, add the clams, re-cover the pot, and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Once the clams are open, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the skillet with the beans. Discard any unopened clams. Strain the lemongrass liquid with a fine-mesh strainer lined with two layers of paper towels, and add to the beans along with the butter to make a brothy stew. Add lemon (or lime) juice to taste, and more fish sauce, butter, or sugar if needed. Garnish with reserved sliced green onions, peanuts, and crispy fried onions.