White Haricot Beans with Clams | Claudia Roden

Not sure whether the white haricot beans with clams is a soup or a stew. Probably the dish straddles the intersection of the two. Best of all, this clam dish is so much more simple to do than the Spanish zarzuela or the French Bouillabaisse. You don’t need to shop for several kinds of shellfish, crustaceans and fish fillets. This recipe only needs the clams. Nonetheless, the taste of the sea is just as marvelous.

I was able to get a bag of clams, fresh from the Jersey shore at the farmers’ market. I couldn’t think of a better way to make a full meal out of this fantastic local catch.

Simplicity has been an organizing force in my kitchen lately that makes it possible to continue cooking good food under time constraints. There are competing interests and activities for my time. I’m sure the same is true for most of us. By and large, I’m finding ways to streamline the way I cook, meanwhile producing delicious meals for my family. A dish with a handful ingredients is the right formula when you’re pressed for time. There are other approaches which I’ve also found helpful for streamlining.

Valuing simplicity is about cherishing the elemental. It fosters clarity, helping us cut through the confusion of our world, weed out the extraneous and the false, in order to see and connect with what’s basic, authentic, and true. Simplicity isn’t a denial of nature’s complexity; it’s an appreciation of its constituent parts. It’s the opposite of more is better—a reminder that less is more. Simplicity encourages us to trust the power of the small scale.

We Are What We Eat; a Slow Food Manifesto by Alice Waters

What elemental, true and authentic in this case is what clams bring to the table. It’s that delicate saltiness which taps into the taste of the sea. (It blows my mind the first time I used clam juice to flavor a soup base!) In addition, the aromatics of onion, garlic and chili peppers intensify the flavor of the clams. Furthermore, dry white wine (e.g. Pinot Gris or cava) enlivens the dish. For a creamy mouthfeel, a small can of haricot beans or Great Northern beans does the job brilliantly. All and all, the dish is simplicity at its best!

Print Recipe

White Haricot Beans with Clams | Claudia Roden

Ingredients

• 650g clams
• salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• small fresh red chile, chopped (optional)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 x 500g small can white haricot beans or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 125ml fruity white wine or cava
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

1

CLEAN THE CLAMS: Wash the clams and throw away any that are not closed, then soak them in cold salted water for 1 hour so they release any sand they have inside.

2

SAUTE THE AROMATICS: Heat the oil in a wide casserole or pan with a tight-fitting lid. Put in the onion and stir over a low heat until it becomes very soft and is beginning to colour, then add the garlic and stir for another minute or so.

3

ADD BEANS & CLAMS: Add the beans, the wine and a little salt, mix gently and cook for 2-3 minutes. Place the clams on top, put the lid on, and cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes until the clams open. Throw away any that do not open and serve sprinkled with the parsley.

4

For Variations: Fry ½ a small chopped chilli in with the onions. Some people add a little pimentón dulce or sweet paprika.

Notes

Adapted from Claudia Roden's Mediterranean https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/sep/26/claudia-roden-recipe-for-white-haricot-beans-with-clams