Pork with clams is a Portuguese standard, but this is an odd East-West variation that has become an American classic in its own way. If you want to cook chicken with calms, then just follow the instructions.
Chicken with Calms
Make: 5 serving
Time about one hour
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- About 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds, removed of excess fat and sliced into 9 pieces, or any combination of parts, blotted dry
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Pinch cayenne
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger, plus a little more for garnish
- 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped scallion for garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Instructions:
- Put the oil in a deep skillet with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high flame. Place the flour on a vessel or in a shallow bowl and shower it with salt and pepper.
- When the oil is hot (a bit of flour will sizzle), scour the chicken pieces in the flour (thighs first, followed by drumsticks, then finally breasts and wings), shaking off any excess flour. As you coat the pieces, mix them to the oil and brown them on all sides.
- Adjust the heat so that the oil bubbles, but is not so hot that it will burn the chicken. Rotate and turn the chicken as necessary until the chicken is nicely browned; the process will take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Take away the chicken from the skillet and turn the temperature down to medium. Pour or spoon off all but a couple of tablespoons of the oil. Add the garlic, cayenne, carrot and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the wine, ginger, and chicken. Sprinkle pepper, but hold off on additional salt.
- Regulate the heat so that the combination bubbles gently but steadily. Cover and cook, turning the pieces every 5 minutes or so, until the chicken is almost cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. When the chicken is almost cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh will read about 150°F), add the clams.
- Re-cover and raise the heat to medium. Cook until the clams open and the chicken temperature is 155–165°F, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil, taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish with the scallion, remaining ginger, and the cilantro if you’re using it, and serve.
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