This soup is incredibly simple and quick and as different from American clam chowder as it could possibly be. Rather than overwhelming the flavor of the clams with cream or tomatoes, here the seaside flavors of the clams are accented subtly with a seaweed-based broth. More on seaweed on page 483. Use the smallest hardshell clams you can find (do not use steamers) and, before cooking, discard clams with broken shells or shells that are not tightly closed. Be sure to wash the clams thoroughly—no trace of sand should remain on their shells. Any clams that do not open during the cooking process can be pried open with a dull knife at the table.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1/4 pound dried kombu (kelp), rinsed

　　24 small clams, like littlenecks or mahogany clams, or cockles, scrubbed and washed well

　　4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths

　　1 tablespoon sake or mirin or 1 teaspoon honey

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

　　Salt to taste

　　

Step 1

Combine 5 cups water and the kombu in a large saucepan; turn the heat to medium and cook the kombu until tender, about 10 minutes, never letting the water come to a full boil. Remove and discard the kombu and add the clams, then cook just until the clams open, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Stir in the scallions, sake, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt; taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.