Beans are a staple in Spanish cuisine. This recipe from Tommi's travels for A Cook's Tour of Spain will make them a favourite with you too
Serves 4
1. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook gently for 5 minutes until well softened. Halve the tomatoes and chop the tomato flesh into chunky pieces. Stir the tomatoes and bay leaves into the pan and crumble the dried chillies over.
2. Stir in the beans and 100ml water. Season with plenty of ground black pepper and a touch of salt. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until the beans are hot and the tomatoes softened, stirring occasionally. Roughly chop the parsley.
Make sure you use lives clams from a good fishmonger. Wash them well and soak in cold water for 20 minutes before cooking. Chuck away any that don’t close if you tap them on the work surface. At the end of cooking, discard any that remain closed.
3. Put the wine in a small pan to heat gently. Place another saucepan on the hob over a high heat and add 2 tbsp of the remaining oil. When the oil is really hot, immediately add all the clams and pour over the warm wine. Cover tightly with a lid. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes until all the clams have opened, giving the pan a good shake now and then.
4. Tip into a warmed serving dish - removing any unopened clams as you go. Squeeze over the lemon juice, scatter with parsley, season with black pepper and drizzle with a final tablespoon of olive oil. Serve with hunks of fresh, crusty bread.
© Thomasina Miers
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