Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150g/5oz smoked bacon rashers
• chopped
• 1 dried anchovy fillet
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 carrot
• peeled
• finely chopped
• 1 stick celery
• trimmed
• finely chopped
• 1 small leek
• trimmed
• finely chopped
• 1 onion
• peeled
• finely chopped
• 2kg/4lb 4oz medium clams
• cleaned
• (discard any clams that remain open after rinsing)
• 300ml/11fl oz good-quality dry cider
• handful chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• 4 slices white crusty bread
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 garlic clove
• peeled

Directions

• Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a lidded frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the bacon and anchovy for 2-3 minutes
• or until the fat is released from the bacon.
• Add the thyme
• carrot
• celery
• leek and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes
• or until softened.
• Stir in the clams and cider and cover the pan with a lid. Bring the mixture to a simmer
• then steam the clams for 2-3 minutes
• or until all of the clams have opened. (Discard any clams that have not opened during cooking.) Stir in the parsley.
• Meanwhile
• drizzle the remaining olive oil over the slices of bread and sprinkle over the sea salt.
• Heat a griddle pan until hot and grill the slices of bread for 1-2 minutes on each side
• or until golden-brown char marks appear on both sides. Rub each slice of toast with the garlic clove.
• To serve
• press a slice of charred bread into the bottom of each of 4 large serving bowls and ladle over the clam broth.