Sake-steamed clams with butter, leeks and noodles recipe

Steamed clams are easy to prepare, and make for a tasty casual dinner when served with melted butter. But with just a little more work, you can cook clams that make a hearty, delicious dish fit for company.

I like to serve these clams with udon noodles, which soak up the sauce. If you prefer, omit the noodles, and serve the clams with bread.

People tend to think of udon as the thick noodles served in soup at inexpensive Japanese restaurants, but there are many types. For this recipe, buy dried udon that’s about the thickness of linguine.

The Japanese leek (negi) is smaller than the European leek, which is sometimes called a Welsh onion. Japanese negi are about 1cm in diameter, and because they are more tender, the whole thing can be eaten. With European leeks, only the white and pale green parts are tender enough to be eaten, although the leek tops can be simmered with other ingredients to flavour soup stocks.

For this dish, use clams with shells about 4cm (1½ in) long or smaller. Small mussels are a good substitute for the clams, but don’t use the large, green-lip variety, because they are tough and coarse.

The kombu is optional, but it does add a gentle umami flavour; if you leave it out, you will probably need to add a little more salt. To vary the flavour, try substituting fresh shiso leaves (cut into a fine chiffonade) in place of the shredded nori.