MANILA CLAMS IN VENTURA LIMONCELLO, SUN-DRIED TOMATO & CREAM SAUCE

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This delicious recipe if from @805foodie

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 medium red onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or smashed between the cutting board and the flat side of the blade of your knife
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce jar Mezzetta-brand julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 1 cup cream (container will say "heavy whipping cream"; or substitute half-and-half)
• 5 or 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Ventura Limoncello or Ventura Blood Orangecello
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds Manila clams
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest or 1 lemon or of 1 blood orange, depending on the type of liqueur you are using
• Warm baquette or similar bread, for dipping

Preparation

Step 1

1). In a cast iron skillet (10 inches or larger) placed directly on the BBQ grill over mesquite coals, or in a large saute pan over medium heat on your stove top, melt the butter, add the bay leaves and then stir in the onions. Cook until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and garlic start to brown.

2). Add the sun-dried tomatoes with some of the oil from the jar and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes.

3). Add the cream. Give the mixture a stir and then add half of the fresh thyme; if you haven't already plucked them from the stems, pick the thyme leaves directly into the cream-sun-dried tomato mixture as it cooks.

4). Pour the Ventura Limoncello into the pan from a cup rather than straight from the bottle. Stir and allow the sauce to bubble and reduce, about 5 minutes. If the sauce becomes very thick, add more cream or limoncello according to personal preference. (But remember that the clams will add some liquid of their own to the sauce while cooking, so a thick sauce isn't really a problem.)

5). Add the clams and toss gently to coat in the sauce. Cover and continue to cook, checking every few minutes to see if/how many of the clams have opened. When all/the majority have opened, add the rest of the fresh thyme leaves. Add freshly ground black pepper, the lemon juice and the citrus zest and stir again. Serve directly from the pan, or transfer the opened clams to a serving dish, leaving those that have not yet opened to continue cooking over the heat. (Discard any clams that fail to open after prolonged cooking.)

6). Offer warm bread for dipping into the sauce -- you'll want to catch every drop! :)