Garlic Butter Clams and Prawns in White Wine, One Skillet Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Make sure the skillet is very hot before you add the butter, because a hot pan sears the prawns quickly and keeps the clams from releasing too much water.

Use a large skillet so the seafood sits in a single layer; if it is crowded, cook the clams in two batches. Keep a lid nearby, since covering the pan traps steam and opens the shells faster.

Taste the sauce before you add salt. Clams release their own brine as they open, so the pan is often salty enough on its own. Add black pepper at the end, and finish the dish with a final handful of chopped parsley for colour and freshness. Serve immediately, while the shells are open and the sauce is still hot and glossy.

Variations

• Spicy Chili Version: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the garlic butter as it sizzles. The heat balances the sweetness of the prawns and the briny clams, and it stays mild enough for most tables.
• Lemon Finish: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the skillet just before serving and add a little finely grated lemon zest. The citrus brightens the buttery sauce and sharpens the flavour of the shellfish.
• Garlic Bread Pairing: Toast thick slices of bread, rub them with a cut garlic clove, and spoon the pan sauce over them. This turns the leftover butter and wine sauce into a satisfying side for the seafood.
• Pasta Style: Toss cooked linguine with the garlic butter sauce and the seafood at the end. Add a splash of the pasta water to loosen the sauce, then finish with parsley and grated hard cheese.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Store leftover seafood in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, and cool it within 2 hours first.

Reheat

Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water or wine until just hot.

Seafood is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. If you have leftovers, let the skillet cool for no more than 2 hours at room temperature, then transfer the prawns, clams and sauce to a shallow airtight container.

Discard any clams that have not opened. Store the container in the refrigerator, and eat the leftovers within 1 day, since shellfish loses its texture quickly. Reheat only what you plan to eat.

You can prepare the ingredients up to a few hours in advance, which saves time at dinner. Scrub the clams and keep them covered in the refrigerator, peel and devein the prawns and keep them in a sealed container, and grate the hard aged cheese and store it in a separate covered bowl.

Mince the garlic and chop the parsley and tomatoes, and keep them chilled. Do not cook the seafood in advance, since shellfish is at its best when it is freshly cooked; cook the dish in the final 15 minutes before serving.

Serving ideas

Serve the garlic butter clams and white wine prawns straight from the cast iron skillet, placed on a trivet at the centre of the table so everyone can reach it.

Spoon the buttery sauce over the seafood and scatter the grated hard aged cheese and fresh parsley on top. The clams and prawns are best eaten hot, with the shells open and the sauce still glossy and fragrant.

Pair the seafood with crusty bread, which is ideal for mopping up the buttery sauce from the pan. A simple green salad with lemon dressing or a bowl of steamed rice also works well alongside the seafood. Offer small bowls for empty shells and plenty of napkins, and serve with a dry white wine that matches the one used in the sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Garlic Butter Clams and Prawns in White Wine, One Skillet

Prep 15 minCook 10 minTotal 25 minServes 4

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb large prawns, peeled and deveined
• 2 lb fresh clams, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 oz hard aged cheese, finely grated
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Scrub the clams under cold running water and discard any with cracked shells. Peel and devein the prawns, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the parsley and mince the garlic. Grate the hard aged cheese on the fine holes of a box grater.
2. Set the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. When it sizzles, add the minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
3. Add the prawns in a single layer and toss them with tongs for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once or twice, until they turn pink, curl and are cooked through. Transfer the prawns to a plate and keep them warm.
4. Return the pan to high heat, add the clams and pour in the white wine. Cover the skillet, or stir and toss as the steam rises, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the shells open. Discard any clams that stay closed.
5. Fold in the halved cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley, then return the prawns to the skillet. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, and toss everything with tongs in the glossy garlic butter sauce for about 1 minute.
6. Bring the skillet straight to the table. Scatter the grated hard aged cheese over the top, add a final handful of parsley and spoon the buttery sauce over the seafood.

Contains: crustaceans, mollusks, milk, sulfites

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

420

Protein

35 g

Carbohydrates

8 g

Fat

26 g

Fiber

1 g

Sugar

2 g

Sodium

1100 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.