Off the boat and back in Barcelona, at Vivo Tapas. Clams steamed open in white wine with garlic and good olive oil, a few cherry tomatoes warmed through at the end, and a clear broth you finish with bread.
This is version two, and the second version is the one worth having. The first leaned on fish stock and came out too fishy. Tasting it against the memory of the original, the note back was that the broth had been wine-forward and not fishy at all — so this version pours in the wine generously, leans on the clams' own briny liquor, and uses only a little fish stock, or none. Wine, clam juice and good olive oil is most of what you taste.
Use a wine you would happily drink. Its flavour concentrates in the broth, and in this version it is the star rather than the background.
Keep it clean. No flour, no breadcrumbs, no paprika, no onion, no tomato sofrito. Oil, garlic, wine, clam liquor, done.
If the broth tastes too winey for you, add a splash more water. If it tastes flat, lift the clams out and reduce it uncovered for another minute.
A few drops of good olive oil over the top at the table beads beautifully on a clear broth, which is half the reason to keep it clear.
