Ingredients
1/4# bacon
2 Tb olive oil
2 red or yellow peppers
6 garlic cloves
1 Tb red pepper flakes
1 c white wine
1/2 c. cilantro
3# clams or mussels or cockles - scrubbed.
Crusty peasant bread, bagettes or equivalent starch-based soaking accompanyment is nearly manditory. Wouldn’t hurt to have some rouille or aioli around either [but does it ever hurt?]
saute pan
grill
4 12"x12" sheets of aluminum foil
Preparation
On the stove, heat saute pan over medium-high heat add bacon and as bacon renders fat, lower heat to medium, add olive oil and peppers, garlic and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook for 4 minutes. Add wine and bring to boil. When wine boils, turn off heat, add cilantro and mix. Let mixture cool off heat.
Prepare grill - medium hot - I use a charcoal grill, but gas grills might also work.
With aluminum foil, fold up outsides of sheets to make little boxes. Divide the cooled pepper/bacon/wine mixture between the foil boxes. Divide the mollusks between the boxes. Bring the outside of the boxes together in a hobo-styled sack. Bring sacks out to the hottest part of the grill. After 2-3 minutes you should hear bubbling. For mussels, take sacks off of the grill 4 minutes after the bubbling starts.
Important note: The thickness of the shells of the mollusks will determine cooking time. Something small and thick like a cockle will take 4 minutes longer than mussels and maybe 3 minutes longer than steamers.
Eat with starch-styled soaking item.
