500g clams, cleaned and any open or damaged shells discarded
25g butter
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
bunch spring onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1tbsp plain flour
250ml white wine
3tbsp finely chopped parsley
Method
The day before, soak the dried beans in cold water overnight.
The next day, drain the beans and put them in a heavy-based pan with the onion and bay leaf. Pour in around 3 litres of cold water but do not add salt.
Bring to the boil over a high heat, using a ladle to skim the froth that appears on the surface. Set the heat to low and simmer for at least 3 hours until the beans are soft. Add the saffron after 1 hour and skim the surface from time to time. Drain, reserving the cooking liquor, and set aside.
Put the clams in a large bowl or in the sink, cover with cold salty water and leave for 1 hour, moving them around with your hand from time to time. This will help the clams to open and release any sand.
Melt the butter in a frying pan with the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the spring onions and cook until soft, then add the garlic and, after a minute, the flour. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to toast the flour, then add the white wine. Give it one last good stir to prevent lumps forming. Add the clams along with the parsley, the beans and 1 litre of the reserved cooking liquor.
Once the clams are open, mix everything together well, season to taste and serve.
COOK’S NOTE
You can use cooked beans from a jar, if you prefer. Add the saffron with the onion and bay leaf, and reduce the water to 1 litre and the cooking time to 15 minutes.
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM SPANISH MADE EASY BY OMAR ALLIBHOY, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARTIN POOLE (QUADRILLE, £22).
