Clam Sofrito on the Grill Recipe

Clam Sofrito on the Grill Recipe is a delightful seafood favorite that is at once rustic, comforting, and swanky. There is nothing like quality seafood cooked in wine and served with exceptional bread that has been lightly flavored with butter and garlic. Combine that with a lightly salty pancetta sofrito, and you have a meal made in heaven.

INGREDIENTS

Sofrito

• ¼ cup (2 oz) diced pancetta
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• ½ medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• Small bunch cilantro – diced, reserve some for garnish
• 2 wide slices lemon-zest
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt to taste

Clams 

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lb. clams
• ½ cup dry white wine

To Serve

• 1 loaf sourdough bread
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed with a blade
• Optional – red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your grill to 400°F preparing for indirect grilling. In a heat-safe pan, combine the 2 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. butter, and crushed garlic. Allow the butter and oil to melt together and the garlic to steep using indirect heat, while you cook everything else. 
2. Grill the pancetta over direct heat. Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-low heat on your infrared sizzle zone side burner or range side burner. Cook the garlic in oil until slightly crisped, add onion, and red pepper, stirring often until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the lemon, cilantro, bay leaf, wine, and a pinch of salt. Reduce until saucy, then transfer the sofrito to a bowl. Remove the lemon peel and bay leaf. Chop and add grilled pancetta to the sofrito and set aside.
3. Wipe out the cast-iron pan and warm another tablespoon of oil. Add the clams, sofrito, and remaining wine. Bring the combination to a simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes. While the clams are cooking, brush both sides of thickly sliced sourdough bread with the butter mixture and grill them over direct heat until crisp. 
4. Discard any clams that have not opened before serving.
5. Serve the clams over the grilled bread with loads of the sauce. Garnish with remaining cilantro and optional red pepper flakes.