Ingredients

• 12 razor clams
• scrubbed (discard any clams that do not close tightly when tapped)
• 500g/1lb 2oz clams
• scrubbed (discard any clams that do not close tightly when tapped)
• 150ml/5fl oz white wine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• chopped
• 2 shallots
• finely chopped
• 1 bulb fennel
• 1/3 finely diced and 2/3 shaved on a mandolin or finely sliced and placed in iced water
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• 1 tsp chopped chives
• 25g/1oz wild garlic
• chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes
• skin and seeds removed and finely diced
• 500g/1lb 2oz samphire
• 50g/2oz unsalted butter
• fennel tops
• to garnish

Directions

• Heat a saucepan until hot
• add the clams and white wine and cover with a lid. Steam the clams for 60 seconds
• or until they have opened.
• Pour the clams into a colander and drain
• keeping the liquor. Discard any clams that haven’t opened
• then pull them from their shells and remove the dark grey part of the razor clams. Reserve half the razor clam shells and a few of the round shells. Rinse the clams to remove any grit
• then roughly chop the flesh.
• Heat a medium sauté pan and add the olive oil
• once hot add the garlic and shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the diced fennel and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the reserved liquor and cream and cook until reduced in volume by half. Add the clam meat
• chives
• garlic and tomatoes and pour the mixture back into the reserved shells to serve.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil
• add the samphire and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and place the samphire back in the pan with the butter and cook for a further 2 minutes over a medium heat.
• To serve
• place the samphire in the centre of each plate with the filled razor clam shells on top and pour excess sauce over. Garnish with the round clam shells
• shaved raw fennel and fennel tops.