Equipment
Ingredients
Wild Garlic Butter
- 100 g unsalted butter, softened
- 30 g wild garlic leaves, washed and dried
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- lemon zest
- 3 g sea salt, fine
Shellfish and Base
- 500 g littleneck clams, purged and scrubbed
- 500 g mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 250 g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 505 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 1759 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 205 mg
- Potassium
- 588 mg
- Calcium
- 139 mg
- Iron
- 7.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 85 mg
- Phosphorus
- 669 mg
- Zinc
- 3.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 377 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 15 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 29.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.25 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 3.6 mg
- Folate
- 73 mcg
- Water
- 286 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a food processor, combine the softened butter, washed wild garlic leaves, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sea salt. Blend until smooth and vibrant green. Set aside.
Place a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and white wine, then bring to a rapid boil.
Add the clams to the pan, cover tightly with the lid, and steam for 2 minutes as they take slightly longer to open than mussels.
Add the mussels and raw prawns. Cover again and steam for another 3 to 4 minutes. Ensure cross-contamination is avoided by thoroughly washing hands after handling the raw prawns. The seafood is ready when all shells have opened wide and the prawns are opaque, pink, and reach an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Remove the pan from the heat. Discard any clams or mussels that remain closed. Add the wild garlic butter to the pan, tossing the shellfish gently with a slotted spoon until the butter melts and emulsifies with the wine and seafood juices to create a glossy sauce.
Transfer the shellfish and the garlic butter broth immediately to warm bowls. Serve right away with crusty bread for dipping.
Chef's Notes
- Wild garlic, or ramsons, is highly seasonal, appearing in early spring. It provides an intense, earthy garlic flavor that mellows beautifully with butter.
- Purging clams in cold, salted water (using 30g of salt per liter of water) for at least an hour before cooking helps them expel gritty sand.
- Never forcefully open a cooked mussel or clam. If it has not opened naturally during the steaming process, it is unsafe to eat and must be discarded.
- The residual heat of the pan and the freshly steamed seafood is enough to melt the butter. Keeping it off the direct heat ensures the delicate wild garlic flavor remains punchy and bright rather than dull and cooked.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Remove from shells before storing. Reheat very gently to avoid rubbery texture.
Troubleshooting
Shells remain closed after cooking
Cause: The shellfish was dead before cooking or needs slightly more steaming time.
Fix: Steam for 1 more minute. If they still do not open, they cannot be fixed and must be discarded.
Prevention: Tap open shells firmly before cooking; discard those that refuse to close.
Butter sauce is greasy and separated
Cause: Boiling the sauce after adding the butter broke the emulsion.
Fix: Whisk in a tablespoon of cold water vigorously to bring the emulsion back together.
Prevention: Always remove the pan from the heat entirely before whisking or swirling in the butter.
Cultural Context
Wild garlic carpets ancient woodlands across Europe every spring, signaling the end of winter. Paired with sweet, briny shellfish, this dish represents the magnificent but brief crossover of coastal bounty and springtime foraging.
