Chile-Lime Clams with Tomatoes and Grilled Bread

Ingredients

• •6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, divided
• •2 large shallots, chopped
• •4 cloves garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• •1 tablespoon tomato paste
• •1 cup beer
• •1 cup cherry tomatoes
• •1 can chickpeas, rinsed
• •2 tablespoons sambal oelek
• •24 pieces littleneck clams, scrubbed
• •1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• •4 slices country-style bread
• •2 tablespoons olive oil
• •1 to taste Kosher salt
• •½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
• •1 for serving Lime wedges

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Prepare a grill for medium, indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off; for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill). Place a large cast-iron skillet on grill over direct heat (move it around to cooler part of grill as you cook if needed) and melt 4 Tbsp. butter in skillet. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until paste darkens to a rich brick-red color, about 1 minute. Add beer and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until beer is reduced nearly by half and no longer smells boozy, about 4 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and sambal oelek, then add clams. Cover (if you don't have a lid that fits, use a sheet of foil) and cook, stirring occasionally, until clams have opened; this could take from 5-10 minutes depending on size of clams and the heat level. Remove from heat; discard any clams that don't open. Stir in lime juice and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter.

   25 min

2. 2.

   While the clams are cooking on the grill, drizzle bread with oil and season lightly with salt. Grill until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side.

   4 min

3. 3.

   Transfer toast to plates and spoon clam mixture over; top with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

   2 min