Clams in Spicy Marsala Sauce

Give me any seafood and I could practically live off of it for the rest of my life.  However, I was not a big fan of oysters when I bought them last. That recipe never made it to the blog.  Clams are my favorite though. Mostly, I make them Indian style with coconut curry base but I tried something different this time. I really wanted to finish my bottle of Marsala cooking wine that I had n the fridge so I created this fusion dish - Italian meets Asian. 

Ingredients and Method:
12 clams, scrubbed and rinsed and steamed **
4 stalks of green onion, finely chopped (white part kept separately)
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup marsala wine
1 tsp sambal olek paste
1 tsp Chilli paste in Soy bean oil
2 thinly sliced lemon wedges
Salt/black pepper
1/4 tsp soy sauce

1. Heat butter and olive oil n a flat bottom pan.
2. Add finely chopped garlic and roast till fragrant.
3. Add the onions and white part of the green onions and sautee on medium high heat till completely translucent (see through). Add the sambal olek paste, soy sauce, and chilli paste and stir.
4. Add the steamed clams to the pan. 
5. Pour half of the marsala wine onto the pan. Cover and let cook for 4 minutes. The clam shells should open up all the way. Discard the ones that do not open. Continue cooking the clams until the shells are wide open.
6. Remove the clams on a plate.  Add the remainder of the marsala wine and let the sauce reduce by simmering for another 3 minutes. Add the green onions and lemon wedges to the pan.  Let cook for another 2 minutes or so.
7. Now pour the sauce all over the clams.
8. Garnish with paprika on top.


*** Prepping the clams: Wash the clams under running water.  Now fill a pot with water and submerge the clams in the pot. Scrub each clam with scrubber and rinse the water. Do this about 4 to 5 times. Clams have to be thoroughly washed before cooking.  I would even keep them soaked n water and allow the sediment to settle at the bottom.  And then rinse do this about 3 times.  Take clean water. Add salt and add the clams to the pot.  Let boil tll the clams open half way.  Cook the rest in the pan.