CLAM, TOMATO AND BACON STEW WITH GRILLED GARLIC BREAD

Start to finish: 1 hour Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped Canadian bacon 1 cup sliced white part of scallions and 1⁄2 cup sliced green part of scallions 1 cup medium chopped green bell pepper 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cups medium chopped ripe tomatoes 1 cup dry white wine 4 dozen cherrystone clams, cleaned well 1⁄2 cup packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped 1 recipe Grilled Garlic Bread (recipe below)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the clams, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the bacon, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon starts to brown around the edges. Add the sliced white part of scallions and the bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and the clams, cover the pot and steam, transferring the clams as they open to a bowl. Discard any clams that do not open. Remove all the clams from their shells and return them to the pot with the tomato mixture. Reheat over medium-low heat until just hot. Stir in the basil and scallion greens. To serve: Put 2 pieces of the grilled bread into each of 6 soup plates and spoon one-sixth of the clam mixture on top.