Steamed Clams With Spicy Italian Sausage and Fennel

Epi Curious's Note:

This impressive dish requires very little prep work and the whole thing is cooked in just one pan. Serve with toasted slices of crusty bread for soaking up the delicious broth. Adapted from the October 2007 issue of Bon Appetit magazine, this rustic dish is a wonderful combination of flavors! I'll admit that I was once afraid of fennel but after making this dish, NO MORE...it becomes very mellow in the cooking process and compliments the dish beautifully. My picky eater husband raved about this and said, "People would pay a fortune in a restaurant for this dish!"...all I needed to hear. Hope you enjoy this meal as much as we did.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 4.0

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper , cut into 2 x 1/3-inch strips
• 1 fennel bulb , with fronds bulb cored, sliced, fronds chopped for garnish
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage , casings removed, sausages coarsely crumbled
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds , crushed with mortar and pestle
• 8 ounces clam juice
• 2 ½ lbs clams , fresh, scrubbed
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or about 2 teaspoons dried)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large deep skillet over high heat. Add bell pepper, sliced fennel, Italian sausage and fennel seeds and saute until sausage is brown and vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add clam juice and bring to a boil (add some water if necessary to provide enough liquid -- I do not recommend doubling the clam juice as it is rather briney and will add too much salt to the dish if doubled). Add clams and oregano; reduce heat to medium-high, cover and cook just until clams open, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with pepper (and salt, only if needed). Divide among 4 bowls, discarding any unopened clams. Sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds and serve.