Grilled Shellfish & Tomatoes

• servings: 4

Ingredients

6 tbsps unsalted butter, cut into pieces, divided

2 large shallots, chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup light beer

1 cup cherry tomatoes

2 tbsps (or more) sambal oelek

24 littleneck clams/mussels

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsps olive oil

Kosher salt

½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems

Lime wedges (for serving)

Serve over bread, pasta, or on its own

Directions

Prepare a grill for medium, indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off; for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill). Place a large cast-iron skillet on grill over direct heat (move it around to cooler part of grill as you cook if needed) and melt 4 Tbsp. butter in skillet.

Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring 1 often, until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until paste darkens to a rich brick-red color, about 1 minute.

Add beer and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until beer is reduced nearly by half and no longer smells boozy, about 4 minutes.

Stir in sambal oelek, then add mussels. Cover (if you don’t have a lid that fits, use a sheet of foil) and cook, stirring occasionally, until mussels have opened; this could take from 5–10 minutes depending on size of mussels and the heat level. Remove from heat; discard any mussels that don’t open. Stir in lime juice and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter.

Transfer pasta or bread (if using) to plates and spoon mussels mixture over; top with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Notes

For pasta, add pasta water to get the sauce to cling & thicken. Cooked mussels for 8 minutes and added butter & cilantro while still on heat to really get flavors. Added fresh thyme with the beer.

Can half the mussels and add bay scallops. Added the scallops right after tomato paste

Can sub any hot sauce

Can sub lemons & parsley for limes & cilantro

Tastes good with bacon

Tastes delicious reheated (generally reheat on stove top).