Littleneck Clams with Bacon,Butter and Herbs

Instructions

1. Prep Ingredients: Cut the bacon into lardons. Mince the basil. Thinly slice the garlic. Scrub the clams and chill until ready to use. Mince the chives. Thinly slice the cucumber and radish.
2. Prepare the Clams: Add the bacon to a large pot with a lid. Turn the heat to medium high and cook until all the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pot. Add the basil and sliced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until the sauce is very fragrant. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
3. Gently add the clams to the broth and cover immediately for 7-10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove the cover and take out all the clams that have opened and transfer them to a large bowl. Return the cover to the pot for an additional 3-5 minutes. Transfer all the opened clams to the bowl and discard any that haven’t opened.
4. Add the butter, chives, crushed red pepper, and the lime juice and zest to the broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes or until the broth has reduced a bit. Carefully remove about 1 cup of the broth from the pot with a tempered glass (or metal) measuring cup. Transfer the clams back to the broth and pour the reserved broth on top. Remove from heat and serve.
5. To Serve: Serve the pot of clams at the table with an empty bowl for the shells. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy a very romantic meal for two!