Clams in Black-Bean Sauce

Recipe from Paul Mones

Adapted by Nicole Mones

Updated September 25, 2019

Total Time
About 20 minutes
Rating
4(21)
Comments
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“Clams in black-bean sauce is another American mainstay: bright, piquant, boasting more loudly of its flavorings than of its clams,” Nicole Mones wrote in The New York Times Magazine in 2007. Adapted from her husband, Paul, this recipe comes together quickly. Salted black beans are paired with bright aromatics, a wine-infused broth and briny clams, possibly the best part. As Ms. Mones wrote, “Discovering the baby clams at the bottom in their little bath of broth is the dish’s final delight.” —Nicole Mones

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

  • 2 tablespoons salted black beans

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 scallions, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger

  • 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

  • 2 pounds Manila or littleneck clams, scrubbed and dried

  • 3 tablespoons Shaoshing wine or dry sherry

  • ¾ cup unsalted chicken broth

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

15 grams carbs; 68 milligrams cholesterol; 303 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 9 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 1380 milligrams sodium; 36 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon warm water and set aside. Soak the salted beans in ½ cup warm water for 10 minutes. Drain, and mash coarsely with a fork.

  2. Step 2

    Set a wok over high heat and pour in the oil. Add the garlic, scallions and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the beans and red-pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Drop in the clams and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then pour in the wine and broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until most of the clams have opened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and raise heat to high. Stir and cook, uncovered, until the sauce adheres to the clams, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cilantro.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
21 user ratings
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Comments

Mary

I thought this dish needed something to serve with the sauce and so cooked some rice noodles before I tackled the clams, then threw them into the wok with the opened clams along with the dissolved cornstarch and stirred them around for a few minutes. Perfect. Delicious and spicy with all the ginger. And yes,fermented black beans can be found in Chinese groceries.

ellenor

this receipt calls for 2 tablespoons of black beans is that correct? it seems a bit short

Frommette

How important is the corn starch?

Mary

I thought this dish needed something to serve with the sauce and so cooked some rice noodles before I tackled the clams, then threw them into the wok with the opened clams along with the dissolved cornstarch and stirred them around for a few minutes. Perfect. Delicious and spicy with all the ginger. And yes,fermented black beans can be found in Chinese groceries.

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Credits

Adapted from the author's husband, Paul Mones.

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