Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• ¼ fennel bulb
• diced and a few fronds reserved and chopped
• 125ml/4fl oz dry white wine
• 50ml/2fl oz crème fraîche
• 2 unsmoked bacon slices
• finely chopped
• 1 small green chilli
• deseeded and finely chopped
• handful panko breadcrumbs
• 4 raw razor clams in shells
• scrubbed
• salt

Directions

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan and sweat the garlic and fennel for 5–10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the liquid has reduced. Stir in the crème fraîche and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in another large frying pan and fry the bacon for 5 minutes
• or until crisp. Stir in the chilli and breadcrumbs. Set aside.
• Discard any clams with broken shells and any that refuse to close when tapped. Cook the clams in a saucepan of boiling salted water until they open. Discard any that remain closed. Remove from the shell
• discard the stomach and chop the flesh into small pieces.
• Clean the shells thoroughly. Mix the fennel mixture with the clam pieces and fill the shells. Place the shells in a steamer and steam for 1–2 minutes to warm through. Remove and sprinkle with the bacon mixture. Serve immediately
• garnished with the fennel fronds.