Garlic Butter Clams and Prawns in White Wine Skillet

Few dinners look this impressive and take so little effort. Clams and prawns sit in a skillet of golden garlic butter and white wine, the shells open one by one, and the prawns curl as they cook. A snowfall of grated hard cheese melts into the sauce, and fresh parsley and chives finish the plate in bright green.

This is a seafood dinner built in one cast iron skillet, from the first sizzle of butter to the last spoonful of sauce. The method asks for very little: mince the garlic, grate the cheese, reduce a splash of white wine into the butter, then add the clams and prawns in turn.

Each shellfish gets the time it needs, and the sauce that results is glossy, fragrant and rich enough to spoon over the seafood and bread alike.

Because everything cooks in the same pan, there is almost nothing to wash up and the dish arrives at the table still bubbling. Plan to serve it right away, while the clams are at their freshest and the cheese is still soft.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The garlic and wine base is the heart of this dish. Gently cooking the minced garlic in butter releases its sweetness without scorching it, and the white wine adds acidity that balances the butter. When you let the wine bubble and reduce, its alcohol cooks off and its flavour concentrates into a golden, fragrant sauce that coats every shell and prawn.

The order of the cooking matters. Clams need the most time in the hot liquid to open, so they go in first and the cover traps steam that opens the shells evenly.

Prawns cook much faster, so they are laid on top once the clams are open, and they finish in the steam without becoming tough. Adding the hard cheese at the very end lets it melt into the sauce rather than burn in the pan.

Notes and substitutions

Choose clams that are tightly closed or only slightly open before cooking, and discard any with cracked shells. Buy prawns or shrimp that are raw, not pre-cooked, so they turn pink and curl in the skillet. A 12-inch cast iron skillet holds the clams and prawns in a single layer and keeps the heat steady, which helps the shells open at the same time.

A box grater gives the cheese its light, fluffy texture, and a sharp knife is the simplest tool for mincing the garlic finely so it melts into the butter. Use a dry white wine you would happily drink, because its flavour is the main flavour of the sauce.

For a non-alcoholic version, clam juice or chicken broth with a squeeze of lemon juice works well. Hard cheese such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano gives the sharpest finish.

• dry white wine: clam juice or chicken broth with a squeeze of lemon juice, for a non-alcoholic version
• hard cheese: finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
• raw prawns: raw shrimp of the same size, peeled and deveined

Equipment

• 12-inch cast iron skillet
• box grater
• sharp chef's knife
• cutting board
• tongs
• small saucepan